Legend of the Sword and Hiccup: Dragon Paladin I
by Firestar'sniece
Summary: When Hiccup, the heir prince, goes out flying one day to relieve his stress as heir of Berk he is ambushed by a mysterious man who attacks his village and kidnaps him, all for an item he doesn't have. Upon escaping he is plunged into the nation of Nan Zhao with Toothless, desperately looking for a way home while uncovering new questions that lead him to wonder who he really is.
1. Chapter 1: Morning Ride and Ceremony

**Yes, the story title is a pun on Chinese Paladin I (aka Legend of the Sword and Fairy, aka The Sword and Fairy) and Chinese Paladin III, or any of Chinese Paladin series titles for that matter.**

**Not a true crossover. And if I get into material, such as ancestry and other things that aren't part of the How to Train your dragon Universe, I will let you know and do some explaining in the area before the story where I put my disclaimer. But for all intents and purposes that is not needed right now.  
**

**Yeah! My first How to train your Dragon story!**

**Anyways...**

**I do not own anything in the How to train your dragon universe, only the original characters I create.**

Prologue

I can't remember ever getting myself into a worse mess than this. A few feet away Toothless was battling his own enemy with very little success, his desperate blasts not even affecting his enemy. Meanwhile my enemy was wielding his sword at me, swiping with strong and exact strokes, my own sword barely able to defend me.

I glanced back, gauging the distance between me and the edge of the plank I stood on. I was dangerously close the the edge. A menacing drop of at least fifteen feet glared at me and beneath it a fiery kiln, a lone sword in it.

My enemy continued attacking, almost trying to keep me away from that drop. Unfortunately instead of doing that he seemed to be steering me towards the edge, the flames heard below. I glanced at the others in my group who were being attacked, a strong, graceful but lithe Chinese looking woman dressed in royal clothing. Her mere fighting skills were impressive, but even she was concentrating as she fought, an occasional glimpse of her chi-power seen as she fought without a weapon in hand, but was non-the-less an effective fighter. Beside her was her army, they instead fighting with weapons, fighting for their princess.

My thoughts went to Astrid as I continued to fight for my life. Would I ever make it home? Would I ever see Berk again? Those were really the only thoughts that I could hold onto, that Toothless could hold onto, as we fought for our lives.

And then the inevitable occurred, but was none-the-less terrifying. In an attempt to brush me away from the edge, the soldier strangely protective of the kiln, I ended up tripping. Everything happened in slow motion and I could observe everything with detail. Toothless, who was pinned down, turned along with his enemy when they heard me, and he let out a pained cry at seeing me tripping. I knew that there was nothing he could do to save me. It was happening too fast. The battle seemed to stop and everyone gazed at me as I began tripping, strangely enough the men who were attacking us were more horrified than anyone else. My group was horrified as it was, but you'd think they would be more horrified than the enemy would be. Next thing I knew I was falling...

Right into the fiery kiln.

Chapter One: Morning ride

(Hiccup Point of View)

Toothless nudged Hiccup as the boy groaned, eager for his morning flight. "'Kay, Toothless, I'll be right on it," he groaned.

But Toothless wasn't having any of this right now. Nudging even harder he pushed Hiccup right out of the bed. "Whoa!" Hiccup exclaimed, shocked at it. "Ow! Toothless!" he scolded the dragon gently. The dragon seemed to chuckle as if saying, 'that's what you get for not waking up,' and he walked over, greeting Hiccup with a slight push of the head.

"All right, all right," murmured the boy in annoyance and he sighed. "Meet me outside. I'll get the saddle."

(A few minutes later)

"Toothless!" Hiccup called out, looking for his dragon. The boy had pretty much wiped the sleep out of his eyes and he was ready to start his morning ride. Suddenly, coming off the top of the roof, Toothless jumped down, an eager look in his eyes. Hiccup grinned. "Hey, buddy!"

Licking the boy, the dragon crouched down and allowed Hiccup to put on the saddle. A few minutes later they were airborne.

It was exhilarating, the feeling of flying. There was a wide grin on the boy's face as dragon and rider became one, challenging the sky, almost. "Whoa, yeah!" he yelled out, enjoying the feel of it.

And then they went into a nosedive. The speed was unbelievable, and as the boy pushed himself closer to the saddle so that he could get more speed the dragon let out a loud roar of enjoyment. Pulling up at the last minute they began climbing again, trying to gain more altitude as they went around for a second dive.

This time Toothless was pretty much perpendicular to the ground as they bulleted through the sky, diving in a dangerous stunt. But it went without flaw as they pulled up close to the ground again and once more climbed for altitude.

Suddenly, a whoosh was heard and Hiccup looked around, his dragon unsurprised as if he had been hearing it, and from the distance emerged his friends, Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs. They were all on their dragons, apparently ready to join Hiccup and his dragon on their morning flight.

"What do you think," Hiccup asked his dragon. "Do you think we should wait for them, or should we give them a hard time?"

Toothless answered with one of his low reply's, mischievous in his eyes, and right then Hiccup had his answer: they were going to evade. "All right, buddy!" Hiccup replied with wide grin, the boy like minded and they put on some speed, quickly getting away from the group. Shouts of protests were heard in the distance and the boy heard Toothless snickering as he tried to put on more speed.

Toothless, a rare Night Fury, had been the first dragon to ever be 'trained'. He was also the most powerful dragon there was. In fact in the days when he was still wild he was much faster than this. But due to the fact that he had a prosthetic replacement for his ripped tail fin he was slower now, and not to mention that if you add a rider on top of that you'll be even slower. But he was much, much faster than all the other breeds of dragons there ever were, including the Red Death. However if he were ever up against another Night Fury the other dragon would certainly beat him in speed.

The bond that the dragon shared with Hiccup was unrivaled. Between human and dragon they were as close as close could get. It was almost as if they were twins. Each seemed to know what the other was thinking, what the other was feeling, what the other was saying, and that was without a need to communicate. Toothless and Hiccup still had yet to see the other humans and dragons achieve such.

But that didn't mean that the others didn't love their dragons. Of course they did! The peace between the dragon and bonded rider was intense. Hiccup knew that Stormfly would risk her life to save Astrid. Meatlug would kill an enemy that went after Fishlegs. Barf and Belch would attack an intruder that dared to go after their humans. And even though Hookfang wasn't exactly obedient towards Snotlout even then he would incinerate anyone that tried to harm his human. It it was pretty much vice versa for the humans, including Snotlout. They would fight and defend their dragons to the death.

Unfortunately, though most everyone was at peace with the dragons now, not everyone liked dragons. Mildew, the scheming excuse of a human had tried to rid Berk of dragons on several occasions, even going as far as framing them. But each time he seemed to be foiled and the dragons seemed to be welcomed in even greater amounts after that. People were quick to apologize to the dragons. Thus, when he was all for shipping Toothless off the island when the lightning kept striking the village to the man's dismay the people went as far as apologizing when they found out they were wrong. So instead of driving the dragons away he seemed to be driving the people right _**towards**_ and _**more in favor**_ of the dragons. Fortunately, he hadn't quite figured that out yet.

Toothless and Hiccup were now a ways away from their friends and the joke seemed to have worn out. Sighing, Hiccup patted his dragon. "Okay, I guess we better head back now." They were over the ocean and immediately Toothless circled around, going back to Berk.

By the time they landed he saw that the dragons and their riders had an expression of annoyance on their faces. Astrid, hands on hips, frowned at the boy and grumbled, "What, couldn't _**wait**_ for us?"

Hiccup and Toothless chuckled and the girl sighed. She could never stay mad at them and everyone knew why, even though they didn't want to seem to admit it. "All right, it was sort of funny."

"Funny?!" Snotlout exclaimed. "He was showing off!"

"Which is what you do all the time," Ruffnut replied.

"Which is annoying," Tuffnut added.

Hiccup was still grinning. But at a look from Astrid, he lost the grin. "All right," he replied, ready to be humble. "I won't do that next time. I'll just wait for you guys instead."

(Stoick Point of View)

(A few hours later)

Stoick the vast seemed to be waiting for Hiccup as the boy returned with Toothless, their morning flight finished. Stoick himself was getting ready to go out on a flight, his thunderdrum Thornado getting anxious.

"Good morning, son," he boomed down at the boy and Hiccup smiled back.

"Good morning, dad," was the reply.

Stoick didn't know how to ask his son this, but it was vitally important that he did. "I need you to take care of some of my duties today," he began, deciding to go straight into it. Upon seeing Hiccup's downed expression he added, "This will be good for you. If you're going to be chief someday then that means shouldering some responsibility. Besides, I've already taught you some of it. All I'm asking is that you direct the hunting efforts and the village repairs while I'm way. It shouldn't be too hard with the dragons to help. Besides, I'm getting older and as now you've turned sixteen, as my firstborn and heir to the tribe it is tradition that you start beginning your duties as prince of the tribe of Berk."

"Yes, father," Hiccup began scratching his hair, annoyance and no enthusiasm in his voice. "You've already given me this speech before."

Everyone knew that when an heir to a tribe turned sixteen, shortly before the ceremony that made him officially recognized as the tribe's heir he would have to begin shouldering some of the chief's responsibilities in an effort to prepare him to be the future chief. That included attending tribe meetings that only the chief and a few selected advisers could attend, leading some hunting trips as well as other excursions that would be necessary (including attacks if they were at war), and directing other activities.

While the heir was still too young to take on the mantle of these responsibilities it was considered the chief's duties, but as soon as the heir became of age, certain responsibilities were passed onto him or her, and after the ceremony, they were known as the duties of the heir prince and it belonged only to him to do, or his father if he was ill. But after the ceremony, even though they were technically his duties, the chief would traditionally help the heir until the heir was fully able to handle their responsibilities.

The other princes, the ones that weren't the heir, were also given certain responsibilities, and as the family of the chief they were supposed to be the chief's advisers as was their right. They were also supposed to be familiar enough with the chief and heir prince's duties that they could assume the title and position of chief if the chief and his heir died. Because of this, Snotlout, also a prince of a tribe through his father who was a prince and brother to the chief, had mocked Hiccup when he was young, wondering if the young man would be Viking enough to assume the position of heir prince, the position that was rightfully his.

Stoick had to admit that there was a point when he questioned whether Hiccup would become chief and if he would have to deny his son his birthright and pass the position out of his line and into the hands of his brother, and eventually Snotlout. While he wasn't fond of how Snotlout handled things, he loved his nephew because he was family. But he still doubted whether Snotlout, or for that matter his father, had what it took to be a good and _**fair**_ chief. Both were stuck up and arrogant and seemed to be concerned more about themselves and others.

Ironically, though Snotlout wanted to assume the position his father wasn't too fond of the position and was more than willing to let Stoick handle the chiefly responsibilities. He was content with being just a prince of the tribe.

But at the time, to Stoick, even with his brother's issues and Snotlout's issues, they still made a better decision than Hiccup. That was until Hiccup tamed the dragons and altered the way of the tribe. Suddenly Stoick could see Hiccup as chief, a wise chief at that, and though the boy may not have the strength of a Viking he certainly possessed fairness and wisdom beyond anyone of his age, including leadership skills. In fact, for once he was proud to have Hiccup for a son. He was the perfect fit for heir prince and chief after all.

Very few people in the village were related to the chief of the tribe as the children tended to move around and to a different village when they were adults. The exception, of course, was the chief's family who always stayed in the same village. The chief ruled a few islands and a number of villages existed on each island. While you could call it a small nation, it was too small to be a kingdom. It was about the size of a principality, slightly bigger actually.

There were a number of Viking 'nations', each with a chief, and the inheritance rules were practically the same. The firstborn, whether male or female, inherited the title of 'chief'. Even if the girl had younger brothers (and sisters for that matter) she was still next in line to become chief. Unlike Europe of the period they didn't have any of the sexist rules that kept women out of line to their 'thrones' or even a rule that a girl could only inherit after her brothers. That didn't exist.

The 'royals' or as it was actually called the 'chief's family' consisted of the chief, his/her siblings, his/her children, his/her siblings children, his/her aunts and uncles, his/her cousins, the surviving spouse of any chief, and the descendants of him/her, and him/her brothers, sisters, and cousins that were born while that chief was alive. Those were the princes/honors of the tribe. Also, any person whose sibling had been born a prince or honor while the former chief was still alive was a prince or honor, they being considered part of the chief's family, and they were counted as born when the deceased chief was still alive.

The children of those not necessarily close to the chiefship but none the less descended from chiefs were considered the nobles, and these were sent to rule over the other villages. Also the children of the princes/honors not in direct line for chiefship, and not the children or descendants or the current chief were called nobles after the chief died if they weren't a sibling of a prince or honor. They and their descendants would be the nobles of the tribe.

While the girls were not called 'princesses', they held more status than the women of Europe did, and the title they held instead was 'honor'. No one but the descendant of a chief could be called honor. This was the equivalent title to princess. But because they were Vikings, and thus warriors, this title seemed more fitting to the girls since they were expected to go to battled and weren't necessarily protected like the princesses in Europe. They were expected to defend themselves, help lead the tribe, and shoulder the same responsibilities that the princes did. An heir honor was the equivalent of an heir prince. An heir honor would someday become chief.

A female spouse to a male chief was called the chieftess. A male spouse to a female chief was called a chieftain. Both had the same responsibility: holding the duties that belonged to the chief's spouse. The only difference was the name designated whether they were male or female. The spouses of the princes/honors were counted as part of the chief's family, and were known as spouse to the prince, or spouse to the honor. The spouse of a noble was called a noble's spouse.

There were other important roles in the village that didn't belong to those descended from chiefs. If a person was the descendant of a famous warrior, they were allowed to call themselves such, up to the sixths generation, and were considered nobles almost.

Even the average Vikings who didn't have a status necessarily attached to them were hailed and well respected if they were friends of the current chief or a chief who had barely died. Usually they retained that status for the rest of their life, unless they grew out of favor with the next chief, which rarely happened. Thus the reason why Gobber had such high status in his village, which was unlikely to go away when Hiccup became chief as he had a father-son bond with the boy.

As Stoick began he paused when his son annoyingly replied about hearing his father give 'the chief speech'. The man sighed. "I know you probably didn't expect this to happen," he murmured softly to his son, looking away when he mentioned how Hiccup had probably doubted for a number of years that he would become chief, and had probably grown to expect that for the matter. "But it is tradition. And you are of age to begin your duties. Everyone is expecting you to. After your ceremony you will officially be the heir prince and as such will be called that, thus you need to act like one."

Every prince, honor, and noble was automatically called 'prince' or 'honor' or 'noble' when they reached the age of twenty, the adult age for the Vikings. With it came their leadership responsibilities. Thus, though Hiccup had previously been in danger of losing his right as heir prince he was not in danger of losing his prince hood and would have automatically been called prince when he reached his twentieth age out of tradition, whether the Vikings liked it or not.

Even Snotlout couldn't have denied him being called prince and couldn't deny him his princely duties of helping to lead the tribe if the arrogant young man had become chief. No matter if he hated Hiccup, he couldn't lawfully do it, according to not just the traditions and order of the tribes, but the law of the tribes.

The only way that the title of heir prince or prince (and the equivalent for girls) could be removed was if the princely responsibilities were removed, and the only way the princely responsibilities could be removed was if Hiccup betrayed Berk, and for Hiccup that was impossible. Thus if Snotlout became chief he would have been stuck with him, even if Hiccup had gone senile. The same thing applied to the nobles and their responsibilities.

Thus Hiccup at least had not been in any danger of losing his princely status, though he may have been close to it when he befriended Toothless, and if he had been banished he would certainly not have been a prince or called or considered such any more. Thankfully, that had never happened. Instead by bringing peace to Berk it had furthered his position as future chief of the tribe. True, if he had been banished and brought back into the tribe his princely status _**may**_ have been restored, but it was rare, almost unheard of for any noble, honor, or prince to return to their status after losing it. That was primarily because no one could be banished except for the severest of circumstances: treason. And even then that was if their life had been spared for their treason and they'd been given banishment as a lesser punishment.

And so Hiccup was the heir prince. While he would automatically be called prince on his twentieth birthday, and he was already recognized as such due to being the chief's son, becoming heir prince was different. Yes, it was his right as the firstborn and because of that he was already looked at as such, but in order to truly be one he had to go through a ceremony, unlike being a mere prince or noble who were automatically called such when turning twenty. If he didn't have the ceremony before his twentieth birthday, he was merely called prince even though he was recognized as the heir prince (though at that point people would be less likely to follow his lead because they would think he wasn't becoming heir prince and future chief).

Thus Stoick knew how important it was, especially for Hiccup, that they had the ceremony as soon as possible so that his son's position as heir prince and future chief was solidified. To delay would make them doubt Hiccup and Stoick needed to show that Hiccup was his choice for chief and that he approved of him. Even though Hiccup had brought peace to Berk, it was especially important because of Hiccup's past that he do this. It would make it abundantly clear that his brother and Snotlout would not be future chiefs, and that would ensure that even they had to follow Hiccup's commands.

After the ceremony Hiccup would rule under his father until Stoick died, and then Hiccup was automatically chief. A chief had no coronation or ceremony when they became such, unlike Europe, where if a king or queen died their heir would have a coronation. For the Vikings, upon the death of the chief the heir prince or heir honor immediately became chief, no questions asked, no ceremony. They were automatically called chief after the death of the previous chief and if they had kids their eldest was looked at as the heir prince or heir honor.

But as Stoick looked at his son there was no doubt that Hiccup hadn't wanted this. Stoick sighed. "Just do your best, son, and the rest will follow." And with that Stoick took off, leaving Hiccup and Toothless on the ground.

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup stared up at the sky as his father took off. 'Great,' he thought, overwhelmed at the thought of being heir prince. For many years he had thought he wouldn't be and he had become fond of thinking he would not have that responsibility. But, after the changes he had made to Berk, and more especially as his sixteenth birthday had come, his father had kept giving him these looks, and Hiccup was afraid of what that meant. And now his father had practically confirmed what those looks meant: it was time for Hiccup to prepare to be heir prince and future chief. He did want Hiccup as his heir after all.

Toothless, upon seeing Hiccup's distress, came over and nudged the boy. "I'm fine, buddy," Hiccup replied, walking over to Gobber's forge after giving some directions to the villages due to his father's directions to him. He was going to forge some metal parts and nails for the houses. At least _**that**_ was familiar.

Increasingly people were looking to him for leadership and at first he hadn't minded it. He knew he had natural leadership abilities. But when it was announced that his ceremony for heir prince was taking place people started coming to him more and more, asking his advice for this and that. It was becoming annoying and it seemed he didn't have any time to himself anymore. Between Toothless's needed flights and the mounting responsibilities he was getting more and more overwhelmed each day. He barely had a break.

"Need a hand?" came a familiar voice and he heard a friendly growl from Toothless.

Hiccup grinned when he saw Astrid. "Sure!" he offered. He had taught Astrid a few things about metalwork and forging, after all.

Astrid began working beside him, silent for a moment. Then she began, "You're thinking about the ceremony, aren't you?"

"I'd really rather not..." Hiccup trailed off, not sure if he could stop Astrid now that the subject was started.

"Well, you're going to have to come around, Hiccup," Astrid replied anyways. "The ceremony is tonight."

"Don't remind me," Hiccup groaned.

Astrid stayed silent for a moment. She was pounding something into a flat and long shape. As she turned to look at him Hiccup caught her breathtaking eyes. "Well?" she demanded. "Are you going to keep denying the fact when your only hours away from the ceremony?"

Instead Hiccup avoided the question. "Do you think there's any way for me to deny the position? I know it's possible outside the Viking nations..."

"Hiccup," Astrid gently scolded him. "You know that's not possible. Your father's chosen you and you don't have a choice in the matter. You should be flattered! For years no one thought you would become chief, let alone heir prince! You should be honored!"

"Except for the weighty responsibility that accompanies such a position..."

"But still!" Astrid excitedly went on. "We're not like the other nations. You can't abdicate or refuse the position. We're Vikings! Were meant to face challenges head on, not try to shy away from them."

"Right," Hiccup mumbled. "Really not helping." Just then Toothless came up to him and gave him an encouraging look. It was similar to the encouraging look Astrid had given him. But then again, why wouldn't Astrid encourage him? After all, everyone knew they liked each other and thus she had a really high chance of becoming spouse to the heir prince and future chieftess. Why wouldn't she encourage him?

But as Hiccup looked at Astrid he felt guilty for thinking that. Astrid was no power hungry person and she truly cared for him, and even loved him, which both of them denied. To Astrid it didn't matter if he was a prince, a noble, a chief, an heir prince, or even a common warrior for that matter. To Astrid he was Hiccup, just Hiccup, with none of the other prerogatives and positions attached to it. She saw him for what he truly was. Surely he couldn't ask for more?

Hiccup sighed. "I guess you're right," he admitted.

"As always," Astrid grinned and Hiccup playfully pushed her out of the room.

"Out! I have to help the village and I have a ceremony to prepare for!"

(Stoick Point of View)

It was nighttime and Stoick the vast looked down on his son in pride. Never in a million years did he imagine that his only son, Hiccup, would become heir prince and future chief of the tribe. He swelled with emotion and pride as Hiccup, though emotionless, was by his side as the man announced, "Today, by the law and rights laid down by our ancestors, after my son's sixteenth birthday, I have come to announce and initiate my firstborn in his right as heir prince!"

Cheers from the crowd were heard and for a moment Stoick thought that he saw panic in Hiccup's eyes. "You're doing fine, son," he murmured encouragingly before turning back to the crowd. There were people as far as the eye could see all dressed in battle armor as such an occasion would require, and in a stand in front of Stoick and Hiccup were a number of items.

It was tradition for a new sword, a new ax, a new sash, and a new helmet to be forged for the heir prince to be. As the heir, Hiccup was not allowed to forge it himself and thus it fell on a proud Gobber to do so. Each item had the chief's crest on it and symbols on it that represented heirship to chiefhood.

When a chief died he was buried with his chiefly items along with the items he received as heir prince. It was rare for it to be inherited by the next generation, unlike how in Europe the crown prince inherited the scepter, crown, and round ball of his predecessor and ancestors as part of the coronation ceremony. But here the heir received new items.

The heir was to receive a helmet, a sword, an ax, and a sash, never before used. But that didn't mean that he never used them again. Only in times of desperation would one ever use their ceremonial helmet, sword, or ax, even though it was forged to withstand battle. And the only time they wore the sash was when they went to visit another tribe or when another tribe visited them, or upon surrender and peace treaties. Even then, it was only worn the first day as part of tradition and the welcoming ceremony.

But when he became chief he wasn't allowed to wear the sash or other items any more. Instead a new ax, helmet, and sword were made with a new belt in place of a sash. The symbols of chiefhood on them was forged and made, like what Stoick the vast wore when Dagur the deranged came to visit. Granted, it couldn't be made right away, nor could it be made by the chief, but then again it was rare for it to be needed immediately after one became chief. There were a few exceptions of course.

Slowly and ceremoniously, Stoick placed the sash then the helmet on Hiccup, and then he proceeded to put the ax in one hand and sword for another. Stoick had made sure that Gobber had made the weapons light enough that Hiccup could hold it so that he didn't end up a joke. But even as he put the helmet and sash on, he could see that Hiccup wasn't happy about it, that perhaps he doubted he could do the duties required. But by the time the final items were in his hands it was too late. He was heir prince and the people cheered.

A chief could never take away the right of an heir prince after the ceremony, no matter how displeased he was with his heir. The only time he could take away the position was in the case of banishment for treason. Only then could he name another heir. The only other time he could name another heir was if the heir prince died or vanished for a long time, long time being defined as at least ten years unless circumstances of the chief's life and health required him to name an heir more immediately due to the possibility of the chief dying.

Even then, if the heir prince managed to come back, because he was named first he was still heir prince, and the other person's title of heir prince was voided automatically, and the true heir prince was expected to assume his position again. Then it would have been as if the second person named had never been named heir prince. He was never mentioned as an heir prince again.

"Dad," Hiccup said to his dad as the crowd cheered and offered the usual Viking war cries. Dragons blew flames in the air and even Toothless gave one of his unique plasma blasts. "Are you sure about this?"

Stoick chuckled, hoping to ease his son's mind. "Absolutely."

(The next day)

(Hiccup Point of View)

Immediately the next morning when Hiccup woke up he was eager to get out of the village for his morning ride, that way he wouldn't have to deal right away with people greeting him as their heir prince. He needed to clear his mind.

The last night had gone horrifically, in his opinion, when he was given the position of heir prince. He still didn't want it. It was too much for him!

The only thing he did know anymore was that Toothless would be there for him, just like he was in the ceremony. "Well, Toothless," Hiccup joked nervously, trying to lighten his mood. "I guess that means your heir dragon now?" The boy chuckled nervously. But as he got thinking about it, it wasn't a bad idea after all for the dragons connected to the chief's family to receive similar titles. They were, after all, part of the family. Prince Hookfang sounded nice. But heir prince Toothless sounded even better in his opinion.

Hiccup frowned as they took off silently, deep in thought. Yes, when he was chief he was going to need to do something about the dragons' part of the chief's family and the noble families. He should come up with titles. But should the titles be like what the humans had, or should he come up with completely new titles? But whatever he did he knew he wanted to stick to the same structure that the humans had when it came to owning Viking titles. There would be a chief dragon, the chief's dragon, prince and honor dragons, the dragons of the honors and princes, and the noble dragons, the dragons of the nobles. Even the dragons of the spouses of the chief, chief's family, and nobles would have titles, and thus privileges. Now to come up with the titles!

'Sometime later,' the boy thought as he realized that this meant he was to become chief, and he didn't want to think about that right now.

It was a silent ride, one that he needed. As they flew to the far side of the island to clear their thoughts, towards the old cove, Toothless landed. Dismounting Toothless, the boy and the dragon walked side by side, trying to ease the tension of responsibility.

But as they were distracted they didn't notice a person flit behind them. It wasn't until an unusual dart hit Toothless, knocking him out instantly, that Hiccup realized he was in danger. That was how deep they were in their thoughts.

Hiccup spun around, unsheathing his sword. Now that he was heir prince Stoick was even more strict on him to carry either an ax or a sword, not just a mere knife, everywhere he went. And never did Hiccup imagine that he was going to be glad his father forced him to do so.

An unusual warrior with an odd-looking helmet and armor that Hiccup had never before seen was staring at Hiccup. He apparently recognized him even though Hiccup had never seen the man. That creeped the boy out. The man had also been so quick as the man had already had his blade to the boy's throat even though Hiccup had pulled his out so quickly. The boy was also aware of other warriors surrounding him quickly, their weapons out.

"Drop the sword, Hiccup," the man ordered and the boy shivered, doing what the man told him, wondering how the man knew his name. He didn't look a thing like a Viking. Could Alvin the treacherous have told him? But then again even if he did Hiccup had never seen the man before so how could the man recognize him? The man acted as if he knew very well with surety that this boy was Hiccup.

"I'm warning you," Hiccup began, trying to muster as much courage as he could. For the first time in his life he was scared of a warrior. Even though these men were nowhere near as fat and physically strong as the Vikings were, they seemed a thousand, no, a million times more dangerous than Alvin the treacherous ever was, than any dragon, even the Red Death had ever been for that matter.

"I'm warning you," Hiccup started again. "I am the heir prince of Berk, son of Stoick the vast, chief of the tribe! You had better let me go!" The boy hoped that by announcing his new title this would at least get them to be more hesitant about attacking him. "If you hurt me or kill me, thousands of warriors will come after you and crush you alive!"

But the man merely smiled, not at all deterred by this. In fact his blade pressed even more against his throat in a threatening manner. "You don't think I know that?" the man whispered softly and for the first time Hiccup realized there was an accent in the voice. "You talked about it all the time! Future chief Hiccup, the prince of the tribe, the one no one thought would become chief until he rose against the odds!" The blade pressed even more menacingly against his throat.

Now Hiccup had a confused expression. This man talked as if he had met him before! "Wh-what?" he stuttered in confusion.

But this only seemed to anger the man. "Stop playing games, Hiccup! You know what we want! Now give it to us!"

Suddenly ever single blade was pressed against Hiccup and the boy was panicked. "I-I don't understand! What do you want?!"

"I'm warning you!" the man growled, rage growing as each precious second ticked by. "Where is it?!"

"Where is what?!" Hiccup explained again, desperate to find a way out of the situation. This time someone had put a knife to his night fury's throat and the boy was afraid that they were going to kill Toothless if Hiccup couldn't produce a satisfactory answer about something he knew nothing about.

The man yelled in rage, furious and no longer tolerant. He let his weapon down and shook the boy.

"Where is the Yang sword?!"

**Well, well, well, what do you think of that? And I wonder how they even know Hiccup!**

**Please review! That would be much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2: Village Raid

**I don't own any of the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise.**

Chapter Two: Village Raid

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup shook his head, still confused. He had dropped his sword when the man had told him to, so he was utterly defenseless. "I don't understand what you're talking about!" he exclaimed, trying to get the man to see that he was telling the truth. "I don't know what this 'Yang sword' is!" Hiccup didn't know if his pleas would work, but he was desperate. "Maybe if you _**tell**_ me what it is I can help you find it!"

Hiccup didn't know how else to get this man to understand. Obviously, he was the leader of his gang. From what Hiccup could see of him he had dark brown eyes, long, black hair held up with some sort of stick, and was skinny in appearance. His eyes were narrow in shape. Had Hiccup ever seen an Asian or a Chinese looking man he would have been able to identify this man's nationality, possibly.

Now the man was furious. It seemed that Hiccup's attempts to get him to understand had done nothing. Raising his hand, another man, a slightly bigger but shorter person, this one not having shaved like the others, raised his blade. Now his knife was longer pressed against Toothless. Instead it was menacingly held above his head, ready to strike a deathblow.

Hiccup panicked. He could now see that there were a total of ten warriors surrounding him, eight of them having their blades pressed against him. Most of them were lithe and skinny, most with long hair, a few with short hair. But the hair color of all of them was either dark brown or black. "No!" Hiccup pled, trying to spare Toothless's life. "If you want to kill someone, kill me instead!"

Just then the leader laughed, a horrible sound. He raised his hands and the man put the knife by his side. Hiccup was at least relieved that the man had spared Toothless, but the next words that came out of his mouth caused Hiccup even greater confusion. "Do you hear this?" the man asked incredulously in his accent. "The boy wants us to 'kill' him? This boy, who wields one of the most powerful swords, one of the most powerful weapons of all time wants us to 'kill' him? And how would we manage that?" The other men immediately began laughing.

But Hiccup, confused, looked down at the sword he had dropped. That, a powerful sword? It didn't look very powerful. In fact, it looked quiet ordinary.

Suddenly, and deftly, the man struck Hiccup on the cheek. "Enough playing games," he growled, and his menacing sound seemed to penetrate Hiccup's bones. But suddenly, an amused smile crossed the man's face. Rubbing his chin, the man murmured more to himself, "You always did have a sense of humor."

Suddenly, the man snapped his fingers and a few men stepped forward and began binding Hiccup, pushing him the ground to do so, while others began binding his dragon. Only his feet were left unbound, his hand tied behind his back. Hiccup was marginally aware of a few other people present, a small army if you will, these in the distance, and the man, looking down on Hiccup the whole while ordered these men, "Raid the village. Spare no house. Don't stop until you find it!" Hiccup widened his eyes in horror as the men bowed and unsheathing their swords went off. Their feet made absolutely no sound as they ran off.

A gag was placed on Hiccup and the men forced him to stand up again. He was facing the leader, who was smiling in amusement. "We'll see how long you can keep it from us, Hiccup," he grinned and Hiccup's eyes widened more in fright and fear, unable to speak anything.

'Well,' he thought to himself, looking down on his unconscious Toothless. 'At least we have dragons.'

(A few hours earlier)

(Stoick Point of View)

Chief Stoick was humming softly to himself, having woken up early, the previous night's events making it hard for him to sleep. What the man really wanted was for Hiccup to accept his fate instead of trying to shy away from the responsibility. Stoick was very well aware that Hiccup did not want to be future chief. For some reason this didn't entirely appeal to the boy. But how to get him to see reason and that he was truly the only one in the chief's family that could fulfill this role? Anyone else was bound to mess it up. And as chief Stoick needed to do what was best for the tribe, even if that certain person didn't want the position, that meant he had to appoint that person as heir prince.

The man sighed. 'Will Hiccup ever come around?' he thought, his worry in his thoughts. 'It's bad enough that he has leadership skills that he's reluctant to use ever since I'd mentioned that I wanted him as my heir. It's almost as if he's rebelling against me.'

And that was true enough. Sure, he'd lead the dragon academy, but once Stoick had so much as hinted about him getting the ceremony for heir prince Hiccup had immediately instructed Astrid to lead the lessons. Yes, he still planned them, and the activities as well, but he'd even insisted that Astrid take the lead when they fly, much to her shock, as if he was trying to tell Stoick something.

Stoick could only imagine what Hiccup was trying to say. "You see how good Astrid is at doing this stuff? Why don't you make _**her**_ chief instead?" But Stoick couldn't. Astrid wasn't a part of the chief's family, let alone descended from a chief.

A brief smile lit Stoick's face when he thought of Astrid. This was a rarity for the man. Stoick knew how much Hiccup liked Astrid, despite him not wanting to admit it. And for that matter she liked him a lot without wanting to admit it. It was so obvious to everyone, so why the two tried to shy away from that fact, in complete denial, Stoick didn't understand. Already and more especially since Hiccup's ceremony for heir prince, everybody, including Stoick, were anticipating Astrid as future chieftess. 'And she makes a perfect match as future chieftess,' Stoick thought to himself. 'Hiccup couldn't have chosen better who to fall in love with. Astrid will do a wonderful job."

Even Stoick understood how important it was to choose a proper spouse when in the chief's family, or a noble family for that matter, particularly the future chief. To be chieftain or chieftess required a special character, leadership, and other special traits that not everyone had. Usually, being in the chief's family or a noble family, said person didn't have a hard time finding and marrying a spouse that they had truly fallen in love with. In rare cases they had to marry someone they didn't love because they needed a person who could fulfill the responsibilities of being the chief's spouse.

The other person always had a choice, though, and sometimes it took the noble, heir, honor, or prince some time to convince the other person to marry them, even though they were truly in love. That's the way it was with Valhallarama whom Stoick loved dearly. Even though they had been in love it still took Stoick some time to convince her to marry him. And that was understandable, after all being the chief's spouse was an amazing responsibility.

Hiccup, on the other hand, was practically lucky that he and Astrid had fallen in love. Astrid was fairly out going and the chief knew, or at least suspected, that when they were finally willing to be honest with themselves and accept the fact that they were in love, then, when the time came for Hiccup to ask Astrid to marry him he wouldn't have a problem with Astrid saying 'no', or being afraid to take the position as spouse of the heir prince. She was ready for it.

But Stoick wasn't really worried. Vikings didn't marry until they were twenty-five or twenty-six. That was the average age of marriage. But even then the marrying age was twenty-four. No one could marry under that age. It gave the individuals some time, after they became adults at the age of twenty, to adjust to their new responsibilities in the tribe.

'She'll be more than ready by then,' Stoick thought to himself, already imagining Astrid as his daughter-in-law. He'd never had a daughter before, or sisters for that matter. But he knew how sure Hiccup was of Astrid. Even Stoick himself didn't fall in love until he was twenty-five. Two years later he and Valhallarama had been sure of each other and Stoick had worked to convince her to marry him. At twenty-eight they were married finally, she assuming the role of chieftess.

Stoick had become chief at the age of seventeen due to the unexpected death of his mother, the previous chief. And so he'd had the responsibility at a younger age than he was supposed to, not even being adult yet. But he was old enough to where he didn't need a regent to rein in his place until he was of age. He was the second youngest person to become chief. Thus he could understand how Valhallarama was reluctant to marry him, having to already assume the position of chieftess once she did so. There would have been no time for adjustments to her new role, something that even the spouse of the heir prince would have had.

The only other person who had become chief younger than him was his great-great grandmother who became chief at the age of fifteen. She hadn't even had time to become heir honor yet, but because she was next in line for chief it was her right to be chief. That, and she had proven herself. If it had been Hiccup in her place, however, there might have been a dispute about his right to be chief even though he was the eldest child of the previous chief, given Hiccup's background. 'Thank goodness Hiccup was born in our day and age,' Stoick thought to himself, shuttering. Hiccup had had a chance to prove himself, and what's more is that he was named heir prince.

Stoick turned his mind back to the problem at hand. He sighed. "What am I to do with the boy," he muttered softly to himself. He'd thought that once he had officially named his son heir prince then Hiccup would reluctantly give in. But no, he hadn't even done that. Instead he seemed to have disappeared without even saying a word to Stoick, going on his morning flight rather early, as if not wanting to admit who he was now. And what was more was he was supposed to start his responsibilities already! Was he trying to shun them?

Stoick didn't know how long Hiccup would keep denying this fact. Whether or not the boy liked it he was the heir prince of the tribe. So when Stoick had noticed earlier Hiccup leaving with his saddle in hand, Toothless by his side, the man could only sigh. His own dragon, Thornado was still asleep in his bed on the far corner of the room. The man was surprised that the rustling of Hiccup leaving hadn't woken the dragon up. It had woken Stoick up after all. But then again Stoick had slept light that night.

Stoick went downstairs, ready to begin cooking. The chief had had to take over all such responsibilities when his wife died. Over time he eventually became a rather good cook. Suddenly, a rustle was heard and Thornado was seen coming downstairs, ready for his breakfast which Stoick was quick to make ready. Then the man went back cooking.

An hour passed. Stoick, who had eaten breakfast already and left Hiccup's breakfast on the table, was worried. He looked out the window. Why hadn't Hiccup come back yet? Should he worry? Perhaps the boy had gone on an extra-long flight to take his mind off of things. Stoick couldn't blame him for that, after all he knew his son hadn't wanted the position of heir prince and was no doubt stressed about it.

But then another hour passed and Hiccup still wasn't back, his food already cold. Thornado was curled up by the fire, worry in his eyes also, grumbling softly.

Stoick didn't know what to think. Was Hiccup being this way on purpose? The man was frustrated. The villagers were already up and they would be expecting the new heir prince to be starting his duties now. They would want to see him, want to greet him before he and Stoick went into their first council of the day. And the first council started before the sun started rising, early in the morning.

Surely Hiccup wouldn't purposely try to skip this responsibility now that he was heir prince? But Stoick couldn't help but wonder if he would. Perhaps he was doing it as a way of rebelling against Stoick for making him heir prince. Stoick didn't know what to do if Hiccup started utterly refusing to do his job. It's not as if he could pick another heir now. That was completely impossible.

But then an even more formidable thought entered Stoick's mind. Had the boy run away? 'He wouldn't do that to me, would he?' Stoick thought, a frown on his face. If the boy ran away and didn't come back in a certain amount of time then Stoick would have no choice but to pick another heir prince. Was that what the boy wanted? Surely he wouldn't leave Astrid behind merely because he didn't want to be heir prince?

Another growl was heard from Thornado, this time more formidable, and for some reason the dragon seemed agitated. Could it be that something else was the problem? Stoick didn't know what to think. But his dragon was pacing back and forth in agitation.

Suddenly an explosion was heard and screams and shouts sounded out of the village. Dragons were roaring and Stoick could hear battle cries. Thornado burst out the door and Stoick ran for his battle ax, arming himself for battle. With a cry he launched himself out the door, only to be shocked.

Somehow, quite suddenly, the village had been invaded. A large army of strangely dressed men were attacking, fighting hand in hand against the other Vikings, their blades shorter. But they were even more skilled fighters and were winning. The dragons, who had begun attacking the army the moment their village was attacked, were blasting shots at them which should have killed them and incinerated them, but instead these men were somehow deflecting the shots, protected as with some kind of power, preventing the shots from reaching their bodies. The power seemed quite visible and glowed softly around these soldiers. It was with this power that they struck out successfully against the dragons, sending them flying away, injured, and it was with this power that they prevented the fire from harming them. It was as if the fire went around them, or was deflected away and they weren't injured at all. How they did this, Stoick didn't know.

But worse was happening. A group of warriors had detached and while the others were attacking Stoick's fighters, these burst into the houses, as if looking for something. But a moment later after not finding something they came out in frustration and when they did they would set the house on fire.

Stoick ran forward, ax above his head, ready to start attacking the invaders. But as he came near, a warrior, with the swipe of his hand, somehow sent Stoick flying back. The man then said something in a strange language to some of his colleagues and they launched themselves toward Stoick's house.

But Stoick wasn't going to have this. "Not my house!" he roared. Once more he ran forward at the three man charging at his house, but the first moved out of the way and quickly, but deftly, expertly caught Stoick's outstretched arm. Then, twisting his hand behind him, they pinned Stoick to the ground. It took place in one swift, fluid motion.

He heard the other two men enter his house while he struggled against the other men, this man's foot on his back, somehow holding him down. A few of Stoick's warriors had surrendered in exchange for their lives, the other warriors taking their weapons and holding them hostage in the middle of the village square. The dragons that were injured so badly that they couldn't fight anymore had taken refuge there as well, apparently preferring to be at the mercy of their enemies as opposed to being slaughtered. To Stoick's horror Thornado himself was among the group, his wings injured so that he couldn't fly.

A few dragons were still fighting, willing to protect their new home, but these were quickly subdued by the soldiers, held down as if with an invisible source of power. The poor dragons were fighting against it but couldn't seem to get their wings open to fly let alone stand up and most were out of shots to breath fire with. These were thrown by that invisible power into the middle of the square where they were forced to surrender, along with other remaining soldiers who were affected with this same power. Stoick alone remained pinned to the ground, they having identified him as the chief somehow.

It was still dark and all of Stoick's warriors were carrying torches as they fought. But for some reason these strange invaders didn't need to, as if they could see in the dark, and at this point it wouldn't have surprised Stoick if they could.

Some of the invaders were going through the remaining houses before setting them on fire. Stoick cried out in rage, but for some reason found himself unable to speak, as if affected by this force. He remembered being hit in certain places and that was when he couldn't speak anymore.

But hearing them going through his house and things crashing on the floor didn't make Stoick any happier. He kept fighting, despite the fact that he couldn't see because he was pinned to the ground. Finally, the soldier had had enough and he hit certain points on Stoick's body and the chief was immediately paralyzed. This must have been done in front of the crowd for he heard gasps and Thornado's worried cry as he was completely still after this was done. What the man had done to him, he didn't know.

Stoick heard the men come out and it was at that moment he heard the distinct crackling sound of his own house being set on fire.

He was dragged to the front of the group of his fighters, behind all the men guarding his people prisoners. Suddenly, he was forced onto his feet, and he was staring at a man in strange armor. Stoick assumed that this was the man who had led the attack, for he gave a wave of his hand and a person stepped forward and tapped certain points on his body. Suddenly he could speak again, though he couldn't move.

"What do you think you're doing attacking my-" Stoick began in outrage only to be interrupted.

"Where is it?" the lead man asked in authority, cutting the chief off. This caught Stoick off guard. What was the man talking about? The man, somewhat impatient, stepped forward. "Where is it?" he asked again and Stoick shook his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about! But-"

"Where is your son's sword?"

"He has many swords!" Stoick began only to be tapped again. Once more he was mute.

A man had come up to the leader and whispered something in the man's ear. The leader looked mad, frustrated, and he motioned for his men to step away. The remaining houses were on fire and Stoick could see that the village was in ruins, literally.

The leader once again stepped up to Stoick, and upon tapping the man on the shoulder Stoick found himself once more able to speak. "Your son is Hiccup?" the leader questioned.

"Why yes!" Stoick began in rage, ready to attack with words back, only to stop in shock. Where was Hiccup? And how did they know Hiccup? Was it possible that they had him?

"And did he ever bring it here?" the strange leader questioned quietly, his accent noticeable.

"Bring what here?" Stoick asked in confusion.

The man narrowed his eyes, as if trying to look into his soul to see if he was telling the truth. Then, as if satisfied but mad, the man clapped and his men stepped away. "I hope you don't mind me borrowing him then," the man grinned evilly, and Stoick's soldiers were all of a sudden able to move again, including the chief.

"What have you done with my son!" Stoick threatened and began charging at the soldiers the dragons roaring and taking flight. But they were already too far away and the blasts of the fire were doing nothing to harm them, the soft glow surrounding them, protecting them. The soldiers didn't even look afraid!

"And since we can't have you following us!" the leader shouted again, and his hands clapped together. Suddenly everyone fell unconscious and the dragons fell from the sky.

"Son!" the chief whispered and that was the last thing he knew before blacking out.

(A few minutes before end of previous section)

(Hiccup's Point of View)

Hiccup was held hostage at sword point, his own sword and dagger taken from him. The gag had been removed for some reason, the leader obviously not impressed with Hiccup's quietness.

The moment his dragon had regained consciousness Toothless had begun attempting to attack the soldiers to free his human only to be restrained by some unknown power. His blasts against them had done nothing. A purple glow had surrounded the soldiers and the blast merely dissipated, leaving them unharmed. Then, after waving their hands around a certain way, Toothless was suddenly pinned to the ground with a cry, unable to move despite struggling, unable to fire at any soldiers.

A sword had pressed against Hiccup's throat hard enough to draw blood but not enough to kill him. "Why don't you tell your dragon," the leader whispered menacingly in his ears after coming up behind him, that strange accent heard. "That the next time he tries something like that his life will be over!" Then as suddenly as the blade had been pressed to his throat, it was taken away again. The blood dried quickly and went unnoticed by the leaders and the soldiers.

"Toothless," Hiccup had called out in distress and the dragon's cries immediately stopped. "Don't do anything Toothless. They said they'd kill you if you tried anything else. Besides, I'm fine right now."

Toothless didn't seem too happy about this but none-the-less stopped struggling. But the men still kept their purple power over him, preventing the dragon from getting up.

Toothless growled at his captors only to be thrown back in terror at the wave of one of the man's hands. "No!" Hiccup shouted, distressed and fearing that his dragon had been hurt. But the leader, seeing Hiccup's reaction, sneered and waved his hand. Toothless had been dragged with this strange power to the place on the ground he had been before. And Toothless was groaning.

"Please," Hiccup begged. "He didn't mean anything! He wouldn't have done anything-"

"Enough!" the leader shouted and Hiccup went silent, seeing that if he spoke it would only make things worse. "Your dragon 'Toothless' did something we considered aggressive, so we responded. End of story."

Five swords were still pointed at Hiccup, so the boy could merely glance at his dragon groaning on the ground, paralyzed with this strange power, while the leader circled both him and his dragon. If the swords of five the soldiers hadn't been pointed at him, Hiccup would have run over to see if Toothless was all right.

Suddenly fire was seen in the distance and Hiccup knew that the enemy warriors had made it to his village and was burning it. After seeing what they had done to his dragon Hiccup knew that the village didn't stand a chance.

Hiccup could only stand and listen in horror as he knew that the village was completely helpless. The fire seemed to burn stronger and stronger in the distance as house after house burned, the enemy being merciless to the helpless. He heard the roar of dragons in the distance and their cries of fear at being unable to protect themselves. Toothless must also have heard it for he whimpered

Minutes seemed to pass and the leader continued to circle Hiccup and Toothless. For once the man seemed calm and patient, which was odd. But the look in his eye made Hiccup think the man thought he was close to victory.

Hiccup thought on what he knew about these people. They were from a distant land that Hiccup and his people had never encountered, that's for sure. Else why would they speak with the strange accent? They seemed to know him even though he didn't, and they seemed quite familiar with who he was.

They seemed to be looking for something, and for some reason they thought Hiccup had it. As the boy glanced at the sword they had taken from him the boy began to think that that was not what they were looking for, or they would have seized it already. They must have been looking for some other sword. What had they called it? The Yang sword? And according to the leader it was one of the most powerful swords there were, whatever that meant. How could a sword be powerful? It was just metal! But also according to the leader, he, Hiccup, was the one who wielded it.

'Odd,' Hiccup thought. 'I've never been a real great weapon holder in my life. I've never been able to use a sword or ax, so why do they hold me hostage as if they're afraid of me and what I can do, as if they have no other choice but to hold me hostage?' They were certainly taking no chances with the boy.

Just as swift as the soldiers had departed to raid the village, they returned. Hiccup hadn't heard them until one of them stepped into his view, up to the leader who had stopped circling and pacing around him and his dragon. He seemed to be whispering something to the leader but Hiccup couldn't understand it. But from what little he did catch it sounded as if it were in a language that Hiccup had never heard, a language that was alien to him.

But what he did see was the changing reactions on the leaders face. Fury grew on it with each second the soldier talked to him.

Then, quite suddenly, the leader unsheathed his sword again and Toothless whimpered. 'Uh-oh,' Hiccup thought. 'What happened this time and how am I going to convince this man that I know nothing about what he's talking about?'

The fire was burning strongly in the distance. It glinted off the leader's sword. The cries of the dragons, the only ones strong enough to be heard at this distance, had been subdued a little while back. And ever since the soldiers returning he hadn't heard a single cry. Hiccup feared the worst.

The tip of the sword was pressed against Hiccup's throat, not enough to draw blood but enough to make Hiccup gulp out of fear. "Where. Is. It?" the man pressed the question again with each syllable. "Where is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Hiccup pled once again. Though his dragon's legs weren't bound, Toothless's wings still were. So even if Hiccup managed to escape out of their grasp with Toothless behind them, flight wasn't an option.

The man screamed in rage, a fearful sight. Another man said something, and the leader calmed down, instead glaring at Hiccup with a menacing expression. "It was never here, was it?" he growled.

But the boy once more shook his head. "I don't understand what you're talking about or what you want!"

The man brought his sword briefly away and slapped the boy, before restoring it's blade tip to his throat. "Did you bring it here with you?" the man questioned again.

"I told you, I don't know-" Hiccup began only to be interrupted as the man interrogated him.

"DID YOU BRING IT HERE WITH YOU?"

Hiccup gulped. "I don't what you're talking about," he replied quietly, simply, not able to give an answer.

But the man wouldn't have this. "Where did you bring it, to whom did you give it to?"

"I don't-" Hiccup began again only to be slapped.

"WHERE DID YOU BRING IT?! TO WHOM DID YOU GIVE IT TO?!"

"I didn't do anything!" Hiccup desperately shouted back, wanting to get his point across.

The man was furious and was about to slap Hiccup again when one of the soldiers stepped up and said something loud enough to where Hiccup and his dragon, who was groaning still, could hear it. But to his amazement and fear he found that he was right. Whatever the man was saying was in a foreign language and Hiccup couldn't understand it. These men were indeed from somewhere else.

The leader gave Hiccup a look through narrowed eyes. "Bring him," he announced and Hiccup's eyes widened as they began pushing him forward. "And bring his creature too."

'Well,' Hiccup thought hopefully. 'At least that means they probably won't kill Toothless.'

Hiccup could see that a line was attached to the cord binding Toothless's wings, and as they pulled him forward the dragon tried to resist. This only caused the men coming behind to kick the dragon at which the poor thing yelped and Hiccup flinched.

"Please," Hiccup begged for his dragon. "Please don't-"

"Silence!" The leader in front yelled, cutting him off. The man hadn't even glanced back at him. This must have had the effect that the man was looking for because Hiccup immediately went silent and some of the soldiers chuckled. "The great warrior," a few of them cheerfully mumbled amongst each other as if mocking Hiccup.

Honestly, Hiccup didn't know what they were talking about. He had never been a great warrior, a great fighter, a great at wielding any weapon for that matter. So he and Toothless gave each other a confused glance.

Not long after Hiccup went silent the leader snapped his fingers and they tethered Hiccup and his dragon together as they walked, a line attaching Hiccup's bound hands to the cords binding Toothless's wings. Hiccup and the dragon seemed to at least be relieved that they were being allowed to walk side by side.

As Hiccup thought on it, it must have taken great skills to be able to tie the rope to him and his dragon as they walked. At this point he and his dragon were cooperating because they were too afraid to try anything, especially after seeing how powerful these men were.

That was until they reached the edge of the island.

The leader turned around and immediately began conversing with some of his men. He also took the cord connecting Toothless and Hiccup in his hands. Hiccup caught a few words, and he thought he heard his name spoken among them, as if spoken in disdain and fear.

Once again the leader snapped his fingers. "Bring them forward," he announced, his triumphant grin resting on Hiccup. "We're leaving." As his gaze settled on Hiccup and his dragon he seemed to be sizing them up. "So much for mighty warrior and his steed," he murmured softly. "You two didn't even put up much resistance."

Hiccup's eyes widened some and his dragon tilted his head in confusion. 'Didn't put up much resistance?' Hiccup thought. 'We tried the hardest we could to resist!'

"Not that you count much, beast," the leader added to the dragon, nodding at him with a look of disgust on his face. If it were any other person Toothless would have growled, but now he knew better than to try something like that again. Hiccup could tell. His dragon was afraid. It broke the boy's hear to see Toothless that way.

The leader brought his sword out, ready and willing to quell any rebellion that might arise among the two, not that Hiccup and Toothless had much of a chance if they did. The cord was in his other hand. But the way the man was acting it was as if he thought they did have a chance at fighting.

Hiccup was confused. Are they sure they'd got the right Viking? What if, perchance, they made a mistake? After all, Hiccup was no mighty warrior that they needed to act cautious of like they were now. But they didn't seem to be taking any chances. And even the leader was surprised at their no resistance, but still cautious of them.

"So much for your powers," he mumbled softly again, a grin splitting across his face.

'Powers?' Hiccup thought in confusion again and the dragon glanced at him. 'I don't have any powers!'

"And I'm sure my leader can't wait to see you!" the man grinned and Hiccup began panicking inside.

'Oh, no,' Hiccup thought. 'What does he have in store for me and Toothless?'

The sword was once more pressed against Hiccup's throat, and a sword was pressed against Toothless as they waited to go wherever they were going. Hiccup didn't know why they were waiting until a few other enemy men walked up from the distance and only then did Hiccup realize that the leader was waiting for the remainder of his army to arrive.

But when it was the leader put his sword away and dropped the leader line, and grabbing Hiccup's bound hands they began to walk forward, straight to the edge of the cliff. Because Toothless was bound to him he came along without any of the men needing to tow him, a strange power forcing Hiccup and Toothless to go with the leader.

'They're crazy!' he thought to himself, eyeing the edge of the cliff.

But now a strange power seemed to engulf all of them, and the cliff edge was nowhere in sight, nor was anything for that matter.

Hiccup began struggling, seeing an opportunity now that he couldn't see the other men, only the leader. Toothless, still attached to Hiccup, seemed to get the hint, and began struggling to. Hiccup kicked the man, who punched him back, and as at this opportunity the man drew his sword.

But Hiccup was willing to take a risk, not wanting to be brought to this leader. He kicked and did everything he could to get the man to release his grip on him, and even Toothless pounced on the man taking the sword away from him. The creature was held down by the power, and as Hiccup felt it coursing through him towards Toothless he was almost paralyzed.

But the man's distraction with his dragon, along with him going for his sword again, gave Hiccup what he needed. Struggling against the power he kicked the man and finally felt the man's grip loosened on him who yelled in fury at losing his captive.

Hiccup fell away from him, as if he and the man were in the sky, and now he and his dragon were falling towards the ground, and the man charged at him but soon wasn't seen as Hiccup and his dragon disappeared from his sight.

Then they were falling in blackness.

**Hmm. I wonder where they are headed?**

**And thus the end of chapter two.**

**Please, pretty pretty please read AND review. I need reviews!**

**Merci!**


	3. Chapter 3: An Eventful Day and a Poster

**Okay, so here's the deal. If people don't start reviewing I'm just going to ax this story, because I'm assuming that people don't like it. I only have one review, after all.**

**I don't own How to Train Your Dragon or anything in the HTTYD universe.**

Chapter Three: An Eventful Day and a Poster

(Hiccup Point of View)

They didn't remain in blackness for long. Soon after freeing himself from his crazy kidnapper what looked like a light blue ocean was seen in above Hiccup. Questioning if it was the sky he quickly turned around and saw a giant lake beneath him. Upon seeing that he and Toothless were free falling, without any way to land as his dragon was tied Hiccup immediately let out a loud scream and his dragon screeched as they plunged into the water.

"WHOA!" he screamed, as if there were no tomorrow.

Hiccup thought he'd never been so soaking wet before, even though this wasn't true. Upon resurfacing he gasped for breath, his dragon, Toothless, struggling, letting out panicked cries as the poor thing was tied and in the water.

"It's okay," he tried to comfort Toothless. "It's going to be okay. Once I figure out where we are, we're going home, Toothless."

For what seemed like miles around he could see nothing but water and a distant landmark. Swimming over to Toothless he found that now that they were in the water and he was no longer being held by that strange man he could remove the bindings. But it wasn't easy.

Poor Toothless shivered as he removed the bindings and Hiccup gasped as he saw rope marks and some raw flesh beneath the bindings. They must have tied his dragon tight. But when Toothless was free he gave Hiccup a quick lick and grabbed the boy's vest and began dragging them to shore.

It took a good fifteen minutes, but finally they were on shore. Exhausted, Hiccup didn't look around for a while.

But some people noticed them. They were wearing strange hats that were pointed at the top and overall round, and some long flowing robes (or what he thought were robes) of plain colors, plain blue, plain green, plain black, etc. Even the men wore 'dresses', although they looked different and were styled differently from what the women wore.

They had come up to him and Toothless, surrounding them in curiosity, acting as if they hadn't ever seen anyone quite like them before, and glancing at Toothless curiously. Hiccup was lying on the ground, looking up at the sky, and he could see the faces of these people. Their faces were a bit different from Vikings, narrowed eyes, black or dark brown hair, and refined beautiful features. There were not bulky and muscular like the Vikings but were thin, like him, though they seemed a lot more flexible and agile.

They were speaking a strange language and he couldn't understand them at first, but as fifteen minutes passed, Hiccup and Toothless merely listening because of their exhaustion, Hiccup found he could catch a word here and there and understand it. And slowly, he was picking up the language. It was a a miracle, really. By the end of fifteen minutes he could understand everything that was literal, but he had trouble picking up the idioms and figures of speech.

Standing on top of his feet, Toothless still lying on the ground, he tried to see beyond these people to find out where he was, but they were crowding him so closely that he couldn't see anything. They continued chatting, talking about the stranger 'falling from the heavenly realms' and glanced at him. Hiccup was still out of breath, but he was grateful to be alive.

Knowing they needed directions, Hiccup tried his hand at the new language. It felt strange on his tongue and he knew his pronunciation was off, and more than likely he had an accent like the man who had kidnapped him and his dragon. But he didn't know what else to do. He had no choice but to try to speak it. "Can anyone tell me where I am?" he asked, knowing that he was butchering the language as he mulled it over his tongue, his mouth having to move in a way it had never done before. It was a beautiful language, really, rather musical.

Immediately the chatter picked up. The people had already known he was a stranger, but the boy didn't know where he was?

"What does he mean 'where am I'?" one asked.

Another asked, "Is this boy crazy?"

"Where am I?" Hiccup repeated further, a lot firmer, more impatient since he hadn't gotten an answer.

"Nan Zhao!" came the reply of an older man, glaring strangely at Hiccup. "Where else would you be?"

This time Toothless began standing up, surprised that the people didn't seem afraid of him. In fact, they practically ignored him, as if he weren't there, more focused on his human buddy.

Hiccup staggered. Nan Zhao? What the heck was Nan Zhao? "Nan Zhao?" Hiccup questioned further, nearly fainting in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"We mean Nan Zhao," a beautiful woman responded, her dark hair tied in a bun with some sort of pin. "Technically the two hundred and fifty first nation of Nan Zhao or the twenty first realm of Nan Zhao."

Hiccup shook his head, confused further, and looked at them. "Are you saying Nan Zhao is a country?" he asked, trying to get clarification.

This time an unknown person spoke up. "What do you mean? Well of course it is! It's _**a**_ nation or _**a**_ country of Nan Zhao. There are many. It's in the twenty first realm. It is the twenty first realm of Nan Zhao."

Hiccup looked around for the voice, needing a further explanation. "I'm from far away," he explained, looking around all three hundred and sixty degrees so that he could glimpse the whole crowd. "We don't have terms like this where we're from. What do you mean?"

The mumbling started again, discussions heating up as they saw the boy was serious and absolutely clueless as to what was going on. After all, how were they going to explain it to the boy? Especially to where he'd understand?

"He talks as if he's from the mortal realm," some of them whispered and Hiccup's eyes widened.

"Mortal realm?" he questioned looking around in confusion. At this the crowd immediately stopped talking and stepped closer.

"Are you from the mortal realm?" the lead man asked, gazing curiously at him.

"Mortal realm?" Hiccup tilted his head and Toothless mimicked the move, standing on his back feet. "I don't understand. What is the mortal realm?"

"You mean you're not from here? You're not from the immortal realms?"

"Im-Immortal realms?" Hiccup stuttered. What on earth was that? "What is an 'immortal realm'?"

"It is where the immortals live."

"And what is an immortal?" Hiccup asked, unsure of what to make of the situation.

The group immediately began chatting again and Hiccup was in too much shock to be annoyed. "He has to be from the mortal realms!" they were saying. "He doesn't even know anything about the immortal realms!"

"And what is an immortal?" Hiccup voiced again, trying to get his head wrapped around the situation.

This time the leader, a woman, piped up. She had been watching him carefully with slightly narrowed eyes, particularly as her husband, the lead man, had asked and answered some questions. "The immortals are those who cannot die, and many of them have powers. They are immortal, not mortal, like us, who are capable of dying."

This time Hiccup swayed on his feet. There were people who couldn't die? That seemed too far fetched to be true! But based on the information he had gotten he had to assume he was from the mortal realm, but he couldn't be sure.

And so, in overload and shock, he fainted.

(Some time later)

(Hiccup Point of View)

By the time Hiccup woke up, it was noonday. His dragon, Toothless, was standing by and watching him anxiously. Hiccup recognized the relief in his best friend's eyes when he had awakened.

"Ow," Hiccup murmured softly, rubbing his head. He wondered if he had hit it when he fainted.

Just then a beautiful woman barged in. "Do you feel better?" she asked sweetly, a smile on his face.

Hiccup frowned, reviewing what he remembered of the events on the shore. Then he took in the room he was in. There was a fire in the middle of it and the bed was in the corner. Implements for cooking were on the far right side, and other beds were on the north and south ends of the room. It must have been a one-room house. But it looked remarkably clean, cleaner than Berk, in fact. There were windows on all sides of the room but they were all covered with shades, preventing him from seeing outside. It also darkened the room, allowing him to rest.

The woman had her hair back in an unusual way, part up in a bun and part hanging down. She wore bright clothes, a robe-like dress that was bright red, orange, and some hints of green in it. There were some odd like pin things in her black hair, her eyes narrow and blue, but beautiful. She was tall and slender in appearance, but graceful no doubt.

He looked up at her, ready to answer her question now. "Not sure," he admitted, and Toothless crooned in agreement, worry and intelligence in the young dragon's eyes. "For one, I know nothing about this place, for another reason, I don't know how to get home."

The woman frowned now, surprise and apprehension in her face, as well as hesitation. "See," she began. "We had assumed that you were capable of crossing the realms."

"Crossing the realms?" Hiccup questioned in confusion and Toothless looked the woman in the eye in such a manner that Hiccup wondered why he couldn't speak human language. He certainly acted as if he was able. And acted that way all the time, ever since Hiccup had met him.

The woman pursed her lips, as if wondering if she should say more, then replied, "Only someone capable of crossing the realms can come here in the manner that you did. The only other way would have been to come through a gateway, and we're fairly sure there are none around here as visitors from other realms are not common here; in fact we're sure there are none for a very long ways. You suddenly appeared out of the sky, and we'd assumed that you'd either just gotten the power to cross realms, or you didn't know how to do it very well."

Hiccup widened his eyes and Toothless gave him a certain look. It's almost like he was saying, 'Do you think that man forced us to cross realms?'

Hiccup then decided to voice this. "Actually," he admitted carefully as he knew nothing about these people. "I was sort of kidnapped, well both of us really, and I remember being back on Berk and then being forced to enter a darkness with my dragon. He was holding me and I sort of fought him. He let go, and next thing I knew me and Toothless were falling out of the sky."

A sudden surprise lit the woman's face, as well as fear and caution. "The man who did this knew how to cross realms," she admitted then. "But what he would want with a mortal on the other side..." she trailed off, leaving the sentence open. Hiccup wanted to ask her opinion but then thought otherwise. It may not be good to ask, and frankly he wasn't sure if he wanted to know or what. He didn't even want to voice what his hostile kidnapper had mentioned to him as he didn't know what it meant.

"So how do I get back?" he murmured softly, needing an answer from her.

She just sat there, refusing to talk for a while, staring off into nothing, completely silent. Finally, she must have decided that it was time to answer his question for she replied, "You will have to find a gateway."

Toothless and Hiccup looked at each other. "And where would I find one of these gateways?" he asked suddenly.

The woman shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think anybody knows, really, well any mortal anyways. Very few know where the gateways are and you would have to find someone that knew where one was. Even very few immortals know where the gateways are. But in truth it would be an immortal you would have to ask, for of the few that know of where to find the gateways, all of them are immortal."

Hiccup sat thinking about this. "So then I we're stuck I guess?" he said more to himself. "Great, just great."

The woman smiled and shrugged. "I'm sure it won't be that bad. You'll just have to travel around a little bit. For starters if you're going to be here for a while you're going to need a job so that you can earn some money to travel. Seeing as its farming season a lot of farmers will need their crops burned. I notice that you're animal (Toothless growled a little) can breathe fire. It shouldn't be hard for you to find work." The woman paused for a minute, as if thinking, and then added, "Well here it will be. But in the city about a day away you should be able to find some work."

Hiccup thought on this. "I am a blacksmith," he said aloud. As he looked her in the eye he asked, "Do you think they have room for another blacksmith?"

The woman nodded vigorously. "Of course! I hear that Dong Guo could use another person manning his shop! You'll be able to find long term and temporary employment at a good price with him!"

Hiccup grinned and the woman walked over to a desk on the opposite side, took out a scroll, and began scribbling some things on it that he couldn't read. But when she handed it to him he saw that the letters were strange and looked boxy. Or were they letters?

"Give this to Dong Guo," she instructed. "It's a recommendation from me. He'll be more likely to hire you if you were recommended by someone he knew."

As Toothless crooned his thanks Hiccup smiled, "And I'm guessing that you know him."

"No," she tilted her head slightly. "I'm an acquaintance, but my husband knows him really well. They're brothers."

Hiccup accepted the help gratefully, but he frowned as he voiced, "You sure he'll be willing to hire me when you don't even know me that well."

But she merely smiled. "You look like a good, honest, young man. I trust you."

(An hour later)

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup had been given some supplies by the woman and and he had thanked her tremendously. The pack she had given him was a gift, and she wasn't even expecting anything back. When the boy asked if her husband would be mad that it was missing she shook her head. "He trusts me," was all she said and Hiccup took it at that, grateful for her charity. Even Toothless had gone over and licked her.

As it turns out Hiccup had woken up just in time for a caravan was getting ready to leave for the city, Tonghai, they had called it, and soon Hiccup was excited to begin his journey.

Toothless was staring at him intently. 'Do you think we'll be able to find an immortal that can tell us where a gateway is?' he seemed to be saying.

Hiccup sighed. "I don't know, Toothless, but I know it's going to be a little while before we manage that. First of all, I have to find a job, or rather _**we**_ may have to find a job, and then once we make enough money we'll be able to search for someone who can either take us back or can tell us where to find one of these gateways."

Toothless growled in frustration and Hiccup put his hand to his head, the pack heavy on his shoulder. Toothless was also carrying a heavy load from the woman as his pack was heavy, and as his tail fin prosthetic was damaged due to the ropes and heavy impact in the water, Hiccup knew that before they could fly he was going to have to fix it.

The boy sighed. Why did misfortune always have to happen to him and then to those he cared about? Would he ever have good luck?

They began traveling soon afterwards, the road bumpy. Several times Hiccup tripped and Toothless had to come over and nudge him back on his feet.

Sighing from exhaustion after a few hours of treading down the road the caravan luckily stopped for a rest and to eat lunch. Pulling off the side of the road, Hiccup could see the city in the distance. It was still far away but he was amazed that they had even made it that far that quickly. Then again that would explain his exhaustion for they were traveling at a fast pace that even Toothless was having difficulty keeping up with, and the group made no efforts to slow down for them.

It was after Hiccup had gotten Toothless's lunch out and was eating his own, the things that the woman had packed for them, that he noticed a post with a sign on it. Curious, he turned to face it.

At first it was hard for him to make out; he unused to the language. But gradually, after looking at it repeatedly he found that strangely enough he was able to read it. He looked over it a few more times to make sure he understood it right, and then he stared.

The poster read:

Black Jade Bandit: Wanted

Soldiers are still looking for the cause of thousands of thefts, but let the citizens of Tonghai be reassured that the thief will be caught.

Meanwhile we urge the citizens to take proper care of their belongings and report any thefts that do occur.

Let the citizens of Tonghai be assured that the moment the the bandit is caught the law will put him to justice and he will be executed.

Tonghai authorities

Hiccup sighed. 'Great,' he thought sarcastically. 'More to add to my plate. All the supplies I've been given could be potentially stolen.'

Upon turning to Toothless he saw that the dragon was looking strangely at the poster as well and for a brief moment the boy wondered whether or not the dragon could actually read it. "Okay," he addressed Toothless and the dragon immediately gave him one of those intelligent stares that were full of meaning. "I think we should take extra precautions and make sure that everything is secured when we reach the city." The dragon nodded and a gave an intelligent grunt of confirmation and with that Hiccup began checking to see that his own bag was secure.

By the time they made it to Tonghai it was late in the evening. As it turned out Dong Guo owned an inn and the blacksmith shop that was attached to it was only a side business, which was an unusual thing, even for the people of Nan Zhao. Apparently it was a hobby he had turned into a business to make a little extra money on the side to keep him afloat. Mainly the people that came to his shop were travelers looking for their weapons to be sharpened.

With the woman's letter he was able to quickly secure a job (thankfully) and the man offered for him and his dragon to stay at the hotel as part of their employment (none of the citizens seemed afraid of the dragon which Hiccup thought was odd, especially after having lived at Berk where he had had to release the tensions between dragons and humans). Toothless would keep the fires in the hotel going (which he grunted in approval) and would help Hiccup attend to the blacksmith shop.

It was now late in the day and as Hiccup was placing his supplies on the bed he decided to go have a look around the hotel. Cocking his head and raising his eyebrows, he looked at Toothless. "Want to come?" he asked and the dragon shook his head, exhaustion in his eyes. Hiccup smiled slightly, somewhat nervous to be in a foreign environment without his dragon. But as he sighed he replied back, "I have to go anyways. Just because we work mainly at the blacksmith shop doesn't mean I've been given free leave the rest of the time. He wants my help to manage the hotels, clean the rooms, etc."

Toothless nodded and Hiccup saw his dragon finally give into sleep. For once he thought he heard a snore, and Hiccup made his way quietly out of the room, careful not to disturb his dragon. 'Maybe things would have been much better if I had accepted my 'royal' chiefly position as the heir of the Berk tribe,' he thought to himself. 'Then I wouldn't have gone flying to hide from myself and my new responsibilities; then I wouldn't be here; we wouldn't be here.'

But he didn't have time to give that much thought for soon he thought he heard a little commotion.

A thin wall separated him and the next hallway, but paper windows were in between. The other hallway was only a partial hallway for on the other side there was no wall but pillars, and beyond the pillars a courtyard filled with flowers of different colors that he had never seen before and small trees that provided shade.

Dong Guo was a rather small, but large chubby man, though not quite like what Hiccup had seen on Berk. He was very hospitable, as well as his manager, a taller, thinner man that sometimes trailed Guo himself. Guo was bald, had a mustache but no beard, and was single, his wife having died the previous year by whom was thought to be the black jade bandit. All Hiccup had been able to pick up about the incident was that the thief had raided his house and murdered his wife for some precious necklace she owned.

His manager, whom Hiccup never got a name from, was only referred to as Sharp Eyes, for he rarely said anything, but he glared a lot. Hiccup doubted that Guo even knew his name. But he was a hard worker and helped to manage the hotel well. He had a rather mysterious background as well, being found injured on the streets (by the black jade bandit most assumed) and was taken in by Guo. He was tall, had slightly longer hair, no mustache or beard, lovely blue eyes, and a calm, but strict demeanor.

Hiccup slightly parted the paper aside to see what the commotion was, and when he did he saw two other figures accompanying Dong Guo and Sharp Eyes. The woman in front was leading them and by the way she dressed and acted it seemed as if she was at least a noble if she wasn't from a royal or chiefly family.

Immediately Hiccup was curious, remembering his own royal 'chiefly' status back home, except on Berk the chief's family didn't necessarily receive the same amount of special and preferred treatment that rumors had other royal families outside the Viking tribes, particularly in Europe, received. But perhaps that was because the Vikings life was hard, although that didn't mean that the chief's family and the nobles didn't receive some amount of preferential and special treatment when compared to common Vikings. Hiccup was the exception of course, that is until recently when he had proven himself. Then the special and preferential treatment that he'd never received as being part of the chief's family kicked in, and truth be told he was still having a hard time adjusting to that, as well as Toothless who had gotten dragged into the ordeal due to being his dragon.

Then there was the Viking mainland, where the Vikings had originated from. There was somewhat of a division between the Viking tribes and the Viking nation, the two having gone to walk separate paths, so to speak. There was also a lot of distrust between the Viking tribes and the Viking kingdom.

Hiccup didn't know much about the Viking kingdom because not a lot of people from any of the tribes liked to mention it. From what he understand there was a four hundred year old grudge between the two for a reason that neither remembered anymore. The Viking kingdom was significantly larger than the Viking tribes, perhaps the same size as all the tribes combined, slightly smaller perhaps. But whatever it was that caused the division, neither tolerated each other on each others waters. While the Viking tribes shared the ocean with the other tribes, with the exception of the oceans closest and surrounding their islands, and with the exception of Alvin and the outcasts, they wouldn't share the ocean with the Viking kingdom, and the Viking kingdom wouldn't share their ocean with the tribes. Both had learned to stay well out of the way of each other.

Alvin, on the other hand, was rumored to have almost started a war between the tribes and kingdom by attempting to steal a ship belonging to the Viking kingdom once. Fortunately the tribes caught him and forced him to give it back, explaining that he was an outcast, but even then the details were still sketchy as no one really knew what had happened or if that was a mere story to cover up something far more sinister.

But the Viking kingdom was somewhat more like the nations of Europe. Instead of a chief they had monarchs, kings and queens, and a true royal family. While Hiccup was technically a royal, in the end the tribes preferred the use of the words 'chief's family' and 'honors' instead of 'royal family' and 'princesses' as a way to distinguish themselves from their mother land. The Viking Kingdom, however, referred to their heirs as a crown prince or crown princess instead of heir prince or heir honor. All Hiccup knew about the difference in wording (that's all it was to him) is that it had something to do with the rivalry between them and the Viking kingdom.

However there were some things they had in common with the tribes. The heir immediately became a king or queen when the previous monarch died, and there was no coronation for them. It was automatic. Another commonality was that their nation was different from other European nations in the way it was structured, which was fairly similar to that of the Viking tribes. That made sense since the tribes had basically gotten their structure of their tribes from the motherland.

Those in the Viking kingdom in special positions, such as the monarchical family and the nobles, had more preferential and special treatment, much like the European royal families and nobles, unlike the Viking tribes. However, their daughters weren't helpless and were taught to be warriors and to fight, a tradition that had been passed to the Viking tribes. The Viking kingdom had a lot in common with the Viking tribes, despite their differences, not that either would admit it.

And so, as Hiccup was thinking on his own princely status and comparing it to the two beautiful women he saw, he listened in out of curiosity, wanting to find out more about this culture that he knew so little about.

Hiccup wasn't close enough to see facial features but he could see the outfits, stunning with ornaments, with ornaments in their hair and the clothing fancy, with gold woven in. He also saw that the girl walking behind, who must have been the woman's servant, was also dressed fancily, though not as much as her mistress. But regardless she was dressed well. As he strained his ears he realized that he could hear conversation.

"Also, our lady wishes to keep her stay here quiet. She does not wish to be disturbed by anything during her time here," the servant was saying. "And she would also like a hot bath with fragrances in it."

"Of course!" Dong Guo replied earnestly. "Anything for the lady of the Ming family!'

'A lady?' Hiccup thought. 'So she's a noble, not a royal.'

He then saw the servant turn and bow to her mistress. "Second miss," she addressed the woman, an odd address Hiccup thought. "Is there anything that I may get you?"

The lady turned around and Hiccup saw a fan in her hand. "That will be all, Ying Hau." Then the woman walked on and was about to disappear out of sight before Dong Guo called, "Lady Ming Jue! Would you like to rest first, or shall I send up the warm meal first?"

The lady turned around again and Hiccup thought she saw a smile. "I shall eat out here in the courtyard." Then, upon turning to her servant, she asked, "Please make sure that our belongings get to our room."

The servant, Ying Hau, bowed. "Yes, second miss." Then she disappeared and was out of sight.

Remembering his duty to help out at the hotel, he immediately saw an opportunity to show that he would be a good employee. It didn't take the boy long to find the lady's belongings, and that of the servant's as well, and seeing a section of the inn that had been restricted and blocked off, he assumed that that was where the lady was staying.

There was only one large room in that section, a room fit for a queen in his opinion. 'This is where they must be staying,' he thought. On the opposite side of the hall in a separate room was a place that must have been where the servants of the nobles slept. A room adjoining the main room that was slightly smaller was where Hiccup assumed the main servant that attended on the lady would sleep and he quickly put the luggage, several wooden chests, on the bed for them.

Suddenly voices were heard and he thought he heard the voice of the servant talking. He briefly caught, "I will be the one to deal with our lady's luggage. No one else, none of your employees may help. It is our lady's wish."

Hiccup's eyes went wide, realizing the mistake he made. 'Oh, no,' he thought to himself. 'Is she going to find out?'

The boy would have sneaked away if it weren't for the fact that they were right outside the door and there was no other way out. He had no place to run and he could only hide and hope that they would leave soon. Upon spying a wooden closet he climbed in and shut the door, a small crack left open, just in time to see the servant and Sharp Eyes arguing, this time in a language he couldn't understand, and Hiccup knew it would be at least fifteen to thirty minutes before he would understand the language.

The woman walked nearer to the closet and Hiccup backed away only for his wooden prosthetic to get caught in something. "Aaaah!" he screamed as he tumbled out of the closet, much to his embarrassment. He smiled sheepishly up to the servant, who interestingly had an aura of authority herself.

She was beautiful, having narrow grey eyes, a thin figure eight frame, her hair piled on top of her head in an unusual but beautiful way, held in place by a pin. Her nose was small and feminine and her eyebrows were small, thin, and tiny. "Hi!" he mumbled in embarrassment. "I brought your luggage." And he didn't know what else to say.

The woman turned back to Sharp Eyes and replied back in the language that Hiccup had gotten used to. "See? As I was saying, was it too much to ask him to come out of the closet? He came out of his own accord, after all."

Ying Hau turned around and left.

(Hiccup Point of View)

After the embarrassing incident of being found in Lady Jue's closet, Hiccup made it a practice to keep well out of Lady Jue's way. After all, he didn't want her to think that he was spying on her or stalking her. He had only meant to be a good employee and help get some of the work done, only to find out last minute that the work wasn't wanted.

Sharp Eyes began keeping a close eye on him and Hiccup tried to remain confined to the blacksmith shop with Toothless. His dragon had eyed him curiously when he saw his friend coming back with a red face to his room after the incident with Lady Jue's servant. And he was so embarrassed that he refused to talk or mention it, despite the curious and prodding looks from Toothless, which he would ignore. But inevitably Toothless noticed Sharp Eye's constant stares at him, as if watching him, keeping an eye on him.

What made things even worse for Hiccup was when one of the hotel workers was talking, mentioning to another that an unknown employee, (aka him) had been rumored to be seen hiding in Lady Jue's closet.

"An embarrassing incident," the old bearded guy in a hat replied. "Such an insult to the poor lady."

And that was how Hiccup found out that what he had done was not just an insult, but as the talking continued he found out that it was a serious offense against the Ming family, a powerful and authoritative family, and that the incident could easily have landed with his head being chopped off or his hands chopped off if they so desired. "Fortunately," the employees were saying. "The Ming family is kind to all and wouldn't do that. But if it had been another noble family..."

"Such a disgrace the individual is. He has disgraced his parents."

"Indeed."

So indeed Hiccup was lucky, very lucky in fact for Lady Ming Jue had refused to mention the incident and had acted as if it had never happened when she could easily have taken action against him for insulting and dishonoring her. And due to her status no one was allowed to ask her about the incident to clarify details (which started getting out of hand, turning Hiccup into a person who was trying to poison her). However eventually Lady Jue got tired of it, and after giving a strict and sincere command the rumors stopped, much to Hiccup's relief. Though Hiccup got the feeling that it was Sharp Eyes that had started the rumor, or that he had mentioned the incident to another employee, though he had no proof.

And as the rumors had spread like wild fires before Lady Jue had it under control, Hiccup noticed Toothless's behavior changed as he found out and put two and two together that the mysterious employee that everyone was talking about was in fact him.

Hiccup knew he would have to mention something despite being told he was not allowed to talk about it, for his dragon kept giving him curious looks. "Okay!" he finally cracked one day, after being there for about three weeks. "So it was me that they were talking about!" he admitted. "But most of the facts are way out of proportion! I wasn't trying to poison her or anything!" And that was all he'd tell his dragon, and Toothless soon realized that that was all he was getting from his friend.

Lady Jue and her servant never left the hotel. Of that much Hiccup observed when he took a notice to them. For that reason no one on the streets knew that a noble woman was present and living there. Hiccup was surprised at how strictly the employee's had followed her command not to mention that she was there, though it was probably due to their fear of her status. And so, she had a peaceful stay.

On the other hand, there was plenty of action at night. Rumors in the morning would fly of new stolen goods, sometimes a murder, as the Black Jade Bandit struck again and again. Fear was whispered in everyone's ears and some even wondered if they would catch the mysterious thief who always dressed in black and was masked.

Only Lady Jue and her servant seemed emotionally unaffected. At first Hiccup thought this was weird, but when he began considering her status he began to understand. After all, who would dare steal from a lady, particularly Lady Jue of the Ming family, when they risked being caught and having their heads chopped off?

But what Hiccup found even more weird was sometimes it was heard that the Jade bandit had another human accomplice, as well as the shadow that was seen flying in the sky during some of the times when the bandits struck. It was the same. They were dressed in black, stole something, and sometimes killed someone. What made things even more horrific is that some of the murders didn't seem to be done by humans as from what Hiccup understood the victims were ripped apart.

And slowly Hiccup began fearing this bandit.

Sometimes Toothless would growl at night. Whenever he did the next morning they would hear of another attack.

And still Lady Jue seemed immune to it, though at one point he thought he saw her servant looking worried. Even weirder was that the hotel was never attacked; at least ever since Lady Jue had taken residence the hotel had never been attacked.

Gradually Hiccup began to suspect that Lady Jue was the bandit, and but when he mentioned this to Toothless the dragon merely growled as if refusing to believe it. Then again his dragon was always comfortable around Lady Jue, particularly her servant, and Hiccup swore that Ying Hau was able to talk to Toothless, as sometimes it seemed he was in a conversation with the woman. Though they never greeted Hiccup they greeted Toothless each morning.

Hiccup had been given permission use the blacksmith shop for some of his projects and by the third week he had enough money to buy materials to build Toothless a new tail. And so he began working on it.

He was almost finished and was merely finishing the designs on it when he decided to try it on Toothless to see if it would fit. "Toothless!" he called out excitedly, wandering the hotel, looking for his dragon. "Where are you? I have it done!"

But the dragon was nowhere to be found. "Toothless?" he called out questioningly again and sighed, walking down the hallway near the courtyard.

That was when he saw his dragon. There Toothless was, seemingly in a conversation with Lady Jue and Ying Hau. Immediately Hiccup tensed, his mind suspicious of them, and he was angry at Toothless for not taking him seriously.

"Hey!" he yelled out to his dragon. "What are you doing? We're not supposed to be bothering them!" Though he knew he meant something different. He was scared of the two of them after all.

Lady Jue was drinking something and put a tiny teacup down. "Toothless was not disturbing us," she authoritatively responded, not even looking at him. "We invited him to be near us and he accepted."

Hiccup went rigid cold, afraid for his dragon and yet jealous and somewhat angry that they had been preoccupying Toothless lately, leaving him alone _**and**_ to do all the chores. Lady Jue looked up at him. "Calm down, boy," she commanded him. "We mean you no harm, and you have no need to be jealous of your dragon."

At this, Toothless eyed him curiously and cocked his head, not having picked up on that. Meanwhile Hiccup was stunned. Could this woman or these women read minds? If so, they made no inclination that they could. And his shock left him without a way to answer what he felt was an accusation.

Then, as if confirming his thoughts, Lady Jue added, "If we wanted to kill you we would have killed you already. I know your frightened but you have no need to be." With that she gestured to a seat next to her, clearly inviting him to sit down.

Hiccup was scared, but he knew he couldn't refuse her invitation without being impolite, and he didn't want to be caught being impolite to the lady again for fear of what it meant. So slowly, carefully, noting that his dragon was completely relaxed around them, he walked over and sat down.

The servant's eyes flashed to his invention and Lady Jue and Ying Hau exchanged thoughtful looks. "You're an inventor," Lady Jue stated, not asking, and she took another sip of her drink.

"Yes," Hiccup replied stiffly, not comfortable in their presence. "And if I am?"

"Perhaps you would to come work for me then? I would be able to offer you a much better job with much better pay than what your making here. We can also offer you better accommodations than what you're getting here." All that time as she was saying that she never once looked at him, instead she was exchanging looks with her servant, as if they were having a conversation of their own going on.

Hiccup stiffened more, afraid of offending them but knowing what he had to do. "Thanks, but no thinks," he replied. "I rather like my job here."

Just then Toothless wined, clearly wanting him to accept the offer. But Hiccup sighed. "No, Toothless," he responded. "We're only here to work for what we need, not long term employment."

"Correction," the servant stepped in, a small smile forming on her face. "You're a wandering prince that's trying to make it home to his family, and is stuck here working as a servant instead." She smiled after replying.

Hiccup immediately went rigid. They could read minds! That was the only explanation! He had never once mentioned to anyone here what had happened to him.

But upon a frown from Lady Jue he became confused. "You're dragon speaks highly of you," she murmured softly. "He told us all about how you came from the mortal realms and are now looking to get back."

With that, Hiccup knew that at least his suspicions of them being able to talk to animals, or at the very least dragons, was confirmed. Whirling around and frustrated at Toothless's seemingly stupid decision to trust them he scolded, "What have you done! Toothless!"

At this Toothless wined and Lady Jue smiled somewhat. Though it was a friendly smiled it made Hiccup shiver. "As I said," she began, getting up and letting the teacup stay on the table. "If we meant you harm we would have hurt you by now."

She began walking away and Ying Hau followed her. Suddenly the woman stopped and turned around, the silver ornaments in her hair swinging around and her long earrings glinting in the sunlight that pierced through the trees above them, looking very much like the lady she was. "By the way," she murmured. "Take care of Toothless. That is a _**very**_ intelligent dragon that you have there."

She walked away, leaving Hiccup with his dragon who was whining in disappointment because he refused the offer of employment. One thing was for sure, Hiccup suspected that they were indeed the bandits and he was shivering from his encounter with them, while Toothless seemed quite relaxed on the other hand. His dragon seemed to whole-heartedly trust them and Hiccup wondered how on earth they had duped his dragon who normally didn't get tricked. And because of that he was concerned for Toothless.

In Hiccup's mind several things seemed to add up to them being the bandits. For one, the hotel they stayed in had never gotten attacked once since they moved in but had gotten attacked before. Number two was that Lady Jue wouldn't let any of the employees handle her or her servant's belongings. Only her servant was allowed to. Hiccup definitely suspected they were hiding something in their luggage, perhaps the stolen items?

Number three was that no one would dare accuse a noble woman of theft, and they had no proof that she had stolen anything, therefore Lady Jue had free reign. No one could accuse her. She seemed to be the only one who could steal and then get away with it due to her status.

She was definitely a noble woman, not a fake, that much he knew for she carried a legitimate card identifying her with several emperors and with the Ming family. Hiccup knew this because he had secretly snuck into her room and seen it on her desk. After convincing a frightened man dealing in antiques to accompany him the second time (he had at first suspected that she was an imposter and was only posing as a lady) the man confirmed that all the cards and seals they had seen on the table were in fact legitimate and that she indeed had to be a noble woman. That only made Hiccup to realize that his previous suspicion was incorrect and that she was indeed a Ming, the second daughter of the Ming leader, in fact, therefore second miss, and was merely using that status to get away with stealing. Hiccup was fortunate not to get caught as he tried to confirm that she was an imposter only to find out that she wasn't.

The fourth thing that added up to it was that sometimes two humans were seen to be in the act of theft, and Lady Jue and her servants were the only ones. Though they suspected that the bandits were male, nobody had been quite close enough to distinguish if they were male or female. Hiccup suspected they were female.

The fifth reason was that as Hiccup soon learned from his stays here, a noble woman was usually accompanied by a guard of men wherever they went for protection. Lady Jue and her servant were accompanied by no one. Their excuse was that they didn't want to attract attention and that they wanted to stay here quietly and peacefully, something Hiccup didn't quite buy despite the fact that everyone else who knew they were there, including Toothless, had.

At first this had led to his suspicion that Lady Jue was a fake, and that she was a commoner posing as a noble, instead of being a true noble, but when he had it confirmed that she was indeed a lady he began realizing that the reason they weren't accompanied by anyone was probably because only the two of them were the thieves and no one else in the Ming family participated in the thefts. They couldn't take the guards or the guards would find out. Thus they had to travel alone to steal or the Lady's family would find out and wouldn't be too pleased. And knowing Lady Jue and how convincing she sounded Hiccup had no doubt that she could pull off a good enough excuse for her parents on why she traveled alone with her servant. She was very persuasive, something no one else seemed to realize, including Toothless. Though, she and her servant looked around Hiccup's age but they were already adult-like and independent.

The sixth reason he suspected that it was them was because he found out that Lady Jue and her servant traveled all around the region, and the bandit's attacks were not just on this city but in surrounding regions, areas, and cities as well. Due to being a noble and needing to check on various places as her position required Lady Jue could easily use that as an excuse, and no doubt did, while everyone else was none the wiser in the matter. After all, who could argue with that?

Hiccup realized he was alone in the matter, and he was scared. Should he reveal his suspicions? But even if he did no one would believe him. It was his word against the lady's. And even if he used his status as a prince from Berk it would mean nothing here. They probably wouldn't believe him, let alone believe that he, a blacksmith, was in fact a prince.

The boy sighed and went to his room for the night, his disappointed dragon trailing his tail behind him. As Hiccup settled under the covers, his dragon on a bed on the opposite side of the room that Dong Guo had graciously supplied, even after the incident with Lady Jue, (he seems to have forgiven him for it and never held a grudge against him for it, unlike Sharp Eyes), Toothless groaned, falling asleep quickly.

But Hiccup couldn't sleep, and as he tossed and turned that was when it happened.

A shadow flitted across the window and he bolted upright, scared. It had reflected against the moonlight. Then, suddenly, a second shadow bolted across his window and Hiccup's eyes grew wide. 'Bandits!' he thought.

Quickly, getting out of bed and closing the door softly behind them, he stepped outside, running to see what was there.

And he saw them.

It was as almost as people rumored them to be. They were two, dressed in black, faces covered with black masks, and a strange mysterious symbol sewn into the fabric in a dark jade green color. 'So that's why they call them the black jade bandits,' he thought curiously, pushing aside his fear for a second.

They hadn't noticed him at first, so he thought, but Hiccup, trying to be a hero, yelled at them, "Hey, you! Stop!"

They immediately turned to face him and began running. Hiccup was surprised to see how nimble they were, jumping on rooftop after rooftop and Hiccup pursued them on ground especially when he saw something in their hands, something they'd probably stolen.

Suddenly, he lost them, and they were nowhere in sight. They had disappeared completely! Scanning the rooftops for any signs of them he was taken off guard when he was hit quite hard in the stomach, toppling down and a barrel of ash came crashing down on him a second later, being thrown at him, turning his clothing black.

Hiccup was dazed for a moment, his eyes fuzzy as the bandits stood over him, face masked, saying nothing, but from their figures he could tell that they were women. One looked about the height and build of Lady Jue, and the other looked like the build and height of her servant. He couldn't see details clearly, but that was what he remembered.

One of the women threw a black cloth down at him, similar to what they were wearing on their faces and a shadow suddenly appeared, a giant eagle he thought, and it swooped down and picked the two of them up, carrying them off before disappearing in the distance. He had to admit though, from the height the thing flew at no one on the ground would be able to make out what exactly was flying, as it was black in color.

At first Hiccup wondered why they had spared him and not killed him, seeing as they had a reputation of being killers. It wasn't until he slowly got up, and saw a jeweled necklace on the ground and a cry was heard in the distance that he understood.

"MURDER!" someone shouted. "HE'S STRUCK AGAIN! THERE'S BEEN A MURDER!"

Hiccup ran as fast as he could, his clothing black. They were trying to frame him! But he didn't get far as people rushed out of the houses and hotel, Hiccup finding himself surrounded by people.

Because no one had seen the bandits and lived (except Hiccup) they wouldn't have known any differently. And so what they saw was an expensive jewel with a black mask lying on the ground and Hiccup all dirty and black from the ash that now stained his clothing.

Immediately people began shouting and pointing at him.

"Thief!"

"Murderer!"

"Bandit!"

They charged forward and as Hiccup struggled they restrained him while he saw people run off into the distance, no doubt for the authorities.

"I can explain!" Hiccup began but people wouldn't let him as they continued throwing accusations at him. By this time everyone in the nearest proximity, including the hotel where Hiccup had been staying, including a shocked Dong Guo and a narrow-eyed Sharp Eyes, were in the crowd. Everyone but Lady Jue and Ying Hau, which Hiccup suspected he knew why.

Suddenly they began yelling in triumph and to Hiccup's horror's he saw the authorities approaching.

"We've got the bandit!" the hollered. "We've found the thief!"

"No!" Hiccup begged. "It's not me! It's not me!"

A shocked groaning and fearful growl was heard in the distance and Hiccup saw Toothless being pulled out, tugged by the same power the man who had kidnapped Hiccup had used on the dragon. Toothless, instead of firing, chose not to, probably because he knew it wouldn't do any good and would only make the situation worse.

"We've got the bandit and his flying black beast!" they continued to shout triumphantly and the authorities moved forward, ropes in their hands to tie him with.

"No!" Hiccup shouted desperately, struggling hard unsuccessfully, and the authorities said nothing. "It's not me! It's not me! I was framed!"

Hiccup groaned with fear and he was kicked to the ground so they could tie him, his dragon groaning at being bound in the distant, helpless to resist. The cheers were heard and it sounded like people were beginning to celebrate the demise of the thief and it was then, and only then that Hiccup remembered the poster he had noticed on the way to Tonghai. They suspected him of being the thief.

And the thief was going to be executed.

**Please review. I am desperate. I don't even know if people like it.**

**Review, please.**


	4. Chapter 4: Propaganda

**I don't own How to Train Your Dragon, Chinese Paladin 3, or Never Exchange by Blue Bird Flying Fish.**

Chapter Four: Propaganda

Hiccup lay in the cell he had been put in, strong steel bars all around him, and the door to his cell a menacing sight of metal. His dragon, Toothless, which they had graciously put in his cell with him lay curled up, in a deep sleep.

Hiccup was resting by his dragon, laying on his side, feet up to his chests as he lay close to a fetal position, arms around his legs, tears in his eyes. A lone tear escaped his eyes and trailed down his cheek as he awaited his trial which would more than likely be rigged to his demise by Lady Jue. His fate would be known soon.

Hiccup lay thinking about Astrid. Here he was, stuck in a place called the immortal realms that he admitted felt familiar though it didn't seem familiar. And just as he was trying to get home he had to get caught! Here he was due to be executed more than likely by someone who had framed him. But all this time he couldn't help but wonder why? Why had Lady Jue singled him out? It couldn't be because he was a stranger from another place for she seemed to show no deference to him. That and surely she would have known that his dragon would be executed as well for being an accomplice?

They seemed to see dragons as intelligent creatures, equal and on par with humans. In fact they seemed to revere dragons. From what he could tell, dragons were sacred them. So why would they want to execute a dragon?

There had already been talk (he had heard the whispered, the rumors, of releasing the dragon by claiming that the boy had coerced his hand, or rather paw, and that the 'poor dragon hadn't had any choice in it'. But then there were others that had said that the dragon deserved to be executed for it had insulted the name of the dragons by committing an evil crime. That and they pointed out that this dragon was an abnormal creature, being from the mortal realms, and that it was nothing like the dragons in the immortal realms. In fact, some said that the mortal realms had tainted Toothless and his purity.

Most, however, seemed to think that the dragon was innocent and vowed to make sure he was released one way or another, even if his 'friend' as they called Hiccup, had to be executed. "If we don't," they pointed out. "We'll anger the goddesses. Dragons are sacred to the goddesses."

But one thing was sure. The dragon would not leave the human, in life or in death. And another thing was sure; there were strange occurrences as it seemed some people or some group of people were strangely enough for some odd reason trying to stir up trouble for the dragon which was viewed as a sacred creature. This is where the rumors of the dragon being an accomplice and being coerced by the boy had come from. Why, Hiccup didn't know, but after gaining more knowledge on the culture it was indeed odd. And Hiccup suspected that Lady Jue was behind it.

'It's probably because I insulted her by not accepting her job offer,' he thought, though he wondered what would have happened if he did. Would she have merely killed him in private? 'Why on earth can't Toothless see past her?' he thought. Even after everything they had been through, being jailed and awaiting trial for execution (Toothless seemed very aware of what was going on) the dragon seemed to trust Lady Jue still. Even when Hiccup told Toothless as they lay in their cell what happened the dragon seemed to refuse to listen when Hiccup insisted that it was Lady Jue and Ying Hau as they matched the description in height and other ways.

And so Hiccup had been forced to agree to disagree. It wasn't easy for him, and he could tell that it wasn't easy for his dragon either.

But they were still friends and Toothless was more than kind enough and understanding enough to let his human friend curl up beside him. He wasn't angry with him or anything, merely understanding, as if assuming that the boy had been deceived somehow (and Hiccup thought it was the other way).

And so here they were, in their cell, still friends and in a disagreement, but not mad, merely sad and fearfully awaiting what was coming.

Another tear poured down Hiccup's eyes as his thoughts once more drifted to Astrid. Oh, how he wanted to see her, even if it was just for one last time! Even if he were to be executed! Just to talk to her and tell her that he loves her, and that he's sorry that he won't make it home to see her again.

'But I have to see her again!' he thought. And at that point the determination he had sparked again. Though he knew he would probably die, he was desperate to see her again, so he would fight for his life until that dream would not be a reality. He would plead his case before the court and expose the true bandits: Lady Jue and Ying Hau. He would make sure that his name was cleared, even though there was a _**very**_ high probability that he wouldn't succeed. But he was determined. He had to try and if not for himself, for Astrid. 'I will try,' he promised Astrid in his mind, knowing that she couldn't hear him. 'I will try.'

At this point, as if sensing his distress and his want to be home and see Astrid, Toothless woke up some and cooed, then proceeded to give him a quick lick for comfort. "Thanks, bud," Hiccup murmured, another tear going down his face. He needed the comfort.

Slowly, a song snaked it's way into his mind and he began singing. It was a song that had become familiar with him, though it was almost as if he had heard it before, almost as if it was written in his heart. But whatever it was, it sure fitted now, and his feelings for Astrid.

The song had become familiar to him during his stay here, being sung by various employees, and others he had heard on the streets. He had memorized the words, being drawn to the song from the very beginning, almost as if it expressed himself, his thoughts and his feelings. It was like it sang his soul and his life's story.

The Mandarin rolled off his tongue beautifully, perfectly as he had long since mastered the language, and tears were in his eyes as he began:

(Look up Lyrics to Never Exchange by Blue Bird Flying Fish)

_Time cannot pierce through, it flows in the past_

_Deeply ingrained changes are not distant._

_Another ten thousand years, love remains unchanged_

_Love is spreading like fire._

_Memory is like a long thread, circling the sky_

_Life's ups and downs made me think love is deep but fate is short._

_You reappear; I see commitment_

_Promise between the sky and water._

_Looking back I didn't go far._

_I'll never exchange the clinging gaze._

_Had to separate, can't get used to it,_

_No matter how I add up, it's just to hard._

_I'll be stronger after we part._

_Hopefully this love will pass on generations_

_Song of love forgetting spring never ends, not letting you become a smoke,_

_Remembering our past, looking at the reflecting sword,_

_The moment of brandishing, don't close the eyes again_

_And miss the awe inspiring longing._

_Looking back, I didn't go far_

_Yearning for a person and refusing to leave._

_How much sweat will be warm enough?_

_You cried out, I called out,_

_Deciphered the murmuring by the ear._

_Don't be afraid, everything shall pass._

Though the song was not originally about his love story, but a love story very well known in the immortal realms, he thought that for once the song had been written for him and Astrid. Hiccup had never caught who the original song was written about or for, this curiously familiar song that seemed to tell the story of his life, the story of him and Astrid, but then again he hadn't truly had enough time to learn about the immortal realms and everything there was to know about them.

But as he finished the song, another tear rolled off his eyes and he imagined Astrid closely, her encouraging gaze pushing him to never give up, and punching him for when he scared her. If only she knew what he had accidentally gotten himself into by his own foolishness! It was, after all his own curiosity that had led him to investigate the two black shadows outside his window. If she knew, she would have punched him and said, "That's for being a fool!" But he couldn't help his curiosity, a trait that he admitted had often gotten him into trouble in the past.

He smiled sadly. Yes, it would be nice to see her again.

Suddenly there was footsteps heard outside and Hiccup sat up immediately. Toothless also sat up, braying softly.

In walked three guards, all dressed in long black overcoats that matched, looking at him with a sneer. The two behind were skinny, but the one in front was big. "All right," the lead one with a black beard said. "Time for your trial!"

Hiccup got up, and he knew that they were prepared to put the shackles on him. And, just as he thought, when they stepped in, they slammed him to the ground. Immediately Toothless growled and was prepared to leap on the man when Hiccup said, "Let it go, bud. I'm okay!" Toothless got the message but didn't appear to like it. But both of them knew what the people here in the immortal realms were capable of, and the power they held. Even Toothless knew he wouldn't stand a chance if he attacked.

Once Hiccup's wrists and ankles were in chains, Toothless was the next to be put in chains, his paws chained together. He didn't look happy about it, and he growled as they put them on, but he didn't attack for which Hiccup was proud of him for. Whatever they did, they had to show that they weren't a threat, and Toothless seemed to get that, well mostly. The growling may not have helped but at least he didn't attack. They could work on the growling later.

Finally Hiccup was shoved to his feet and marched out to the courtyard outside, thousands of spectacles gathered to witness his trial. The judge stood in front in his ceremonial robes, and guards lined the outside courtyard, trees dotting it.

The guards were dressed in black whereas the judge was wearing a multicolored outside coat, some gold woven in it no doubt. But Hiccup highly doubted that it was his. More than likely it would be handed down to whoever the next judge would be.

The judge had a short beard and mustache, his beard nowhere near as long as Hiccup's father's. Hiccup stood passively next to his guards, trying to show that he wasn't a threat. Suddenly he was pushed forward and the crowd surrounded him, the judges, his dragon, and the guards.

The people were dressed in their ordinary every day clothing. Hiccup could see houses in the distance, the tilled roofs a wonder to him, coming from the viking homes that he did. From where he could see, it looked like they were made of clay, the paper windows a wonder as well.

The judge stood behind a desk, various things in front of him. A piece of long paper, a document no doubt, was spread in front of the judge as well as a cup with sticks in the cup. Some symbols were inscribed on them and Hiccup wondered what they were for.

Then the people began shouting. "Death to him!" they shouted. "Free the dragon! Death to him!"

Upon hearing this Toothless brayed worriedly, seemingly able to know that his rider's life was in danger.

Hiccup wanted to soothe his dragon, but he didn't know what to do. So he put one chained hand on Toothless's, attempting to calm his friend down, and Toothless shut his eyes to the touch.

Suddenly, the judge, having enough, put his hands up and the people quieted immediately, awaiting the fate of the young boy in front of them.

"Young man," the judge began, not using his name as he did not have a full name to address him by. Hiccup had only ever given his first name to people. "You know why you are here. You are accused of being the black jade bandit and by the laws of Nan Zhao you must be tried and hanged for your crimes."

"And what if I'm not the jade bandit," Hiccup quietly replied.

Unexpectedly, there was an out roar from the crowd. "Kill him!" they shouted. "Inflict justice upon him! He's wasting our time!"

Once again, the judge had to hold his hands up, the long flared sleeves of his robe draping to the desk in front of him, the gold glistening off of it momentarily. "Enough!" the judge cried in a loud voice. "There were be a fair trial, else it be upon us!"

Hiccup sighed, not knowing how to pacify the people. Even if he was declared innocent by the judge, unless he could prove he was innocent to the people, there was no knowing what an angry mob would do.

"I would like to address the fair people of this city," Hiccup began to say, only for the rioting to start again.

"Kill him!" the crowd shouted. "He's trying to get away with the crime!

"I'm not-" he began only for the crowd, desperately angry to get even louder in accusation against him.

"Do you hear his blaspheme?!" the crowd accused.

"But-"

"Be done with him now!"

"You're not even-"

"Execute the bandit! Get it over with!"

For about fifteen minutes this went on, the judges orders to the crowd and to Hiccup drowned by the noise of the crowd's accusations. Finally the judge seemed to have had enough and it was then that Hiccup found out what the sticks in the cup were for. Throwing one of the stick's down the crowd immediately quieted.

"Enough!" the judge reprimanded the crowd. "Whomever is the next to speak shall have fifty strokes!"

Hiccup immediately paled. Being confined and sure he would be sentenced to death was one thing, but to be beaten before he was sentenced to death was another. Not willing to go through that, Hiccup immediately shut his mouth and noticed Toothless do the same thing. That, and Toothless immediately scooted closer to Hiccup without the notice of the others, for which Hiccup was grateful for his best friend's comfort. But Hiccup also knew that the dragon did if for his own comfort as much as for his rider's comfort.

"Now," the judge announced, clearly satisfied that not even so much as a pin dropped in the crowd; that was how silent things were. "Seeing as I have an uproar to deal with, we are going to postpone this case to the afternoon, that way _**everybody**_ can take a chance and cool their heads off."

The crowd looked as if it were ready to murmur in small voices because of what the judge decreed, but as everyone was eyeing the stick on the ground, no one seemed to want to speak before the judge dismissed them. Hiccup, too, warily eyed the stick, and he gazed nervously up at the judge. His father, as neglectful as the man had been at his early age, had never beaten him. In fact Hiccup had never been physically abused before, even if he had been verbally abused and teased by his peers who later became his friends. But at least Snotlout and the gang had never actually beaten him up. He had merely been the laughing stock of the village.

Not even his father or his mother, for he remembered her and when she had disciplined him, not even they had ever even so much as spanked him. No, they would give him time outs, take away belongings, or in his father's case, exile him to be an apprentice to a blacksmith (who later became a friend of his as well) and in the end the latter turned out to be a blessing for him and one of his greatest talents (besides leading, not that he would acknowledge it).

But never, had he been beaten, not whipped, not spanked, not anything. It simply was not the Viking way. Hiccup even doubted that Dagur's father had ever beaten the boy, bad and mischievous as Dagur always was. It was simply taboo in Viking society and was highly punishable if it was found someone did that, whether to their spouse or to their kids.

And so Hiccup gulped upon seeing the stick and knowing he couldn't even so much as make one sound. The guards quietly came up and pulled on his chains, and on Toothless's as they escorted him back to his cell and threw him in. Shutting the door behind him and Toothless, they were abandoned as the guards walked away, but no doubt there were guards stationed outside the room that the cells were in.

Hiccup had fallen to his knees when they shoved him in and and he remained that way as they left, Toothless coming up to nudge him gently and give him comfort. Suddenly, unexpectedly, and Hiccup didn't know why, all his feelings suddenly left him and he burst out crying quietly, tears falling down his face. He was miserable, and he was beginning to feel just how miserable he really was, how much misery he had denied and lied to himself, even, that he actually had.

He was in an unknown place, far from home, and there was the high possibility that he would never make it back to see his friends and family again. He missed his father... and he missed Astrid. More than likely he was going to be executed when he was in fact innocent, and this was all because he was framed. He felt homesick, lost with his friend in an unknown place.

And yet, at the same time, this place felt somewhat familiar, like the feelings had come from a dream from a magical fairy world.

Why these conflicting feelings?! What was going on with him?! He was beginning to believe that he didn't know who he was any more. Even Ying Hau was beginning to seem familiar! Did they do something to him?

But he did know that he was innocent and that Lady Jue and Ying Hau were framing him. They were lying to him and everybody else about being the bandits.

But would anyone else believe him?

The tears trailed down his cheeks and his face, and he put his head in his hands, seeking comfort, feeling completely humiliated. Toothless would more than likely get away with what they would inflict upon Hiccup. They viewed dragons as sacred for some reason. But his poor best friend would be forced to spend the rest of his life far away from home, however long night furies lived, or dragons in general. That had to be a long time, regardless, even if they lived a normal human lifespan.

"I didn't even get a chance to see Astrid again!" the poor boy whimpered and the dragon nudged him as if saying, 'This isn't over yet.'

Suddenly Hiccup wrapped his arms around Toothless's neck and buried his head into the dragon's neck, weeping silently. The dragon brayed, sensing his rider's inner turmoil and not quite sure how to help and alleviate it. Truth be told, the dragon didn't know if there _**was**_ anything he could do.

For how long Hiccup wept into his neck the boy didn't know, but the dragon brayed and swayed slightly, attempting to rock the boy back and forth to soothe him. Soon, Hiccup quieted, and he sat up and wiped the tears from his face.

"S-Sorry Toothless," he stuttered as he wiped his face only for the dragon to give him a huge lick across his face. Hiccup immediately burst out laughing and the dragon gave a toothless smile, pleased that he had at least cheered his rider up somewhat.

In the distance footsteps were heard, and Hiccup immediately stood up, wiping his face more, trying to look presentable. He only hoped, for his viking pride's sake, that it didn't look like he was crying. He didn't want to appear weak, though he didn't know what was considered weak in this culture, let alone what this culture considered as looking weak. His small size may have been enough already (as it was in the Viking culture) and he didn't want to appear weaker than he already looked. Though truth be told, if his size was considered weak, then why was he considered a big threat? And why would the man who kidnapped him think of him a great fighter? No, size must not translate to strength or weakness in this culture. They must view weakness by some other means and standards.

The door to the outside world opened and in stepped the three guards. There was a tray in the lead man's hands and a large sack of fish in the other. They motioned for Hiccup to step back and he did. When they were satisfied that he couldn't escape (not that he could with all the chains wrapped around his ankles and wrists, even if he weren't attached to the cells) they opened the doors and placed everything inside, closing the door again.

As they turned to leave Hiccup stood up and ran to the front of the cell. "Wait," he pleaded and the men stopped, though they didn't so much as look at him. "Let me talk to the judge!" Hiccup pleaded, desperate for his side of the case to be heard. "Please! Just let me talk to him for a few minutes."

The guards said nothing and instead they walked on, closing the door to the room behind them with a slam.

Hiccup stood stunned for a few minutes, in shock and not sure how to respond. Why were they treating him this way? He wasn't a criminal! He was a prince! Not that Viking princes really got special treatment, and especially like nothing in this culture from what he had seen so far (and it somewhat disgusted him, truthfully, the kind and amount of special treatment that individuals of high birth received). But it was true that people were showed more respect to viking royalty, the chief's family as they were called, and more especially their heirs, the chief, and the chief's spouse. Especially if they were visiting a foreign tribe, or a foreign tribe were visiting them, they would show more especial attention to the royal chiefly family and especially to the chief, chieftain, or chieftess, and the heir. Next in their attention was the current chief's siblings and the current chief's children.

But then again, these people didn't know that he was a prince, did they? And he probably wasn't a prince by their standards. In this culture, who would believe that a blacksmith was a prince, after all? This wasn't simply something that royalty and nobility did in this culture, though why Hiccup didn't know. For him it was a useful hobby and a way to express himself through inventing.

But regardless, Hiccup's message seemed to have gotten through for soon the guards came back. Hiccup hadn't even as much as touched his food. They motioned for him to stand, and they led him out of his cell, leaving Toothless behind who brayed worriedly.

Hiccup was blindfolded as he was led through the halls, up some stairs, or at least he could tell he had gone up stairs. He had gone left, he had gone right, and soon they stopped temporarily. The sound of knocking on a door was heard and the judge's voice said, "Come in."

Hiccup heard the door open and he was shoved inside. As he was shoved forward more he heard the door close behind him, and finally the blind fold was taken off, no doubt by a hand signal from the judge.

Hiccup didn't take much time to look around, but what he did see is that the room was very spacious. There were curtains which prevented him from seeing outside the window, and there was a desk which the judge sat by, as well as some chairs in the room. Various things stood in the room, and Hiccup didn't know what any of them did. Also, guards outlined the room.

"Leave us," the judge ordered and all the guards left, the door behind Hiccup shutting softly.

Hiccup didn't say anything as the judge sat down, now in plain black robes, the ceremonial robes hung up somewhere else no doubt. A tea pot (as Hiccup had come to recognize it as) was on one side of the desk and the judge poured himself some tea. None was poured for Hiccup and the boy wasn't surprised. He didn't like the foul tasting stuff anyways.

"So," the judge began, taking a sip of the drink and setting the teacup down. Then he looked up to Hiccup, his eyes seemingly penetrating him. "You wished to see me?"

Hiccup, suddenly nervous, nodded stiffly. The judge continued to look at him for a little while and then suddenly he motioned for him to sit in a chair in front of the desk. Hiccup complied, not wishing to offend the man who held to the key to his life or his death, so to speak.

Hiccup waited until he was invited to speak and when the man waved his hand for him to continue Hiccup took a deep breath. "I'm innocent," he declared confidently, but in a small voice.

The judge raised one eyebrow, his teacup in his hand, and upon hearing this he set it down. "That is not for you to determine," the judge replied, watching him carefully.

"But I was framed!" Hiccup exclaimed, desperate to get out what he knew. "I saw too much so the real bandits want to kill me!"

The judge sighed. "Perhaps you can tell me how this all started then?" And with that Hiccup launched into his story, not holding anything back. He told about his culture, where he grew up, that he was a prince of this culture, and how he was kidnapped by the mysterious man who attacked his village. He told about the mysterious sword that the man seemed to think he had, and how the man wouldn't believe him when he said he didn't have it. He told them how he fought the man as he was trying to cross realms, and how he ended up here.

"Believe me," Hiccup explained. "I knew nothing of the immortal realms, let alone what the 'mortal realms' were until I came here. We never called it that where we came from. We'd never heard of a realm! I still don't even understand what a realm is! All I have known my whole life is Berk, the Barbaric Archipelago, and the Vikings that live there!"

"Vikings sound dangerous," the man almost mocked, looking him up and down apprehensively. "After all they were more than able to defend themselves from the attacks you described, now didn't they?"

Hiccup visibly flinched. "We had never encountered anything of the like before," Hiccup whispered. "I had never encountered it. We thought our dragons could defend us."

"And clearly you were wrong," the judge narrowed his eyes.

"Clearly we were," young Hiccup agreed. "I was surprised, caught off guard by his tactics. I'd never witnessed such power that people can hold."

The judge seemed to hesitate as he put his teacup down once again. It seemed like the man believed him. But as he took his time, Hiccup wondered what the man had perceived that he hadn't, because it seemed to him like the man had put some of the puzzle piece together that even Hiccup couldn't, due to the boy's lack of knowledge of the culture. But to the boy's surprise, the man started with a different subject. "What you speak of," he explained. "This 'power' that you describe is what we call chi-power. Everyone has chi, it flows in everything. And with proper training and discipline, anyone can cultivate their chi and use it as a weapon, to defend oneself, to harm and kill, and even to heal. Yes," he replied at Hiccup's surprised expression. "Chi has healing properties as well. And these healing properties can also be used in self defense." Hiccup sat up straight, even more surprised now. "Anyone, even mortals can use it for everyone has chi. One can even access the chi of others and the chi in the earth and trees and other places. Immortals, and other powerful beings, also have their own powers, but that is for another time to explain."

Hiccup thought on these things. Could that be how they were able to subdue their dragons so easily? "The vast majority of people," the judge continued to explain. "Here in the immortal realms are trained from the youngest of ages to cultivate discipline and mastery of their chi, as well as in use for self defense. I take it that they don't do that where you come from?"

Hiccup quickly shook his head. "I had never heard of chi before now," he admitted.

The man nodded. "You probably don't do that where you come from because you don't have a need to. But here, the immortal realms, though beautiful, are incredibly dangerous. In fact, a very vast majority from the mortal realms who travel here do not survive. They do not have what it takes. And those who do are seriously maimed and receive major injuries, and they die many times before they make it out." At this the judge gazed at Hiccup curiously and in confusion. He looked at him as if wondering how he had survived so long here without even so much as a scratch.

But for Hiccup, upon hearing the news the judge brought out, he didn't pay attention to the judge's curious and confused gaze and merely gulped at the knowledge. 'Am I really going to die?' Hiccup thought. 'So even if I am found innocent in the eyes of everyone, I really can't survive here and I'll more than likely die?'

The judge shook his head, taking his mind off of the puzzling situation. Then his face darkened. "As for this man who attacked you," he looked away in thought. "I have a good idea who it is."

Hiccup shot up once again. "You do?" he inquired in worry and fear. Who was this man?

"He is a very great enemy of ours," the judge acknowledged. "In fact, the entire immortal realms are at war."

Hiccup's eyes widened in fear. 'Great, just great,' he thought. 'So not only am I very far from home and accused of a crime that I didn't commit, but I landed right in the middle of a war!' Hiccup dared to voice his next concern to the judge. "Just how dangerous... are the wars in the immortal realms?"

This time the judge raised both eyebrows as if replying that it should have been obvious. "Dangerous, very dangerous. In fact over a thousand times more dangerous than the most dangerous war in the mortal realm is." At this Hiccup shook. "You're just luck boy," the judge continued, one finger pointed at him. "That our part of the realm hasn't been on the war front yet. You certainly wouldn't have survived if that was the case." Suddenly, the man gave him the curious look again.

"Great, war," Hiccup muttered aloud. "Just great."

"Which is why the mortals here are a lot more dangerous and a lot more powerful than the mortals where you come from. Ever since the creation of the realms we've had to adapt to a lot harder life. It used to be that very few learned how to cultivate their chi and the chi power, and very few learned self defense. But when the realms split and we chose to live with the immortals and the other creatures of immense power, those who did not cultivate it were killed off. Soon everyone learned for survival's sake. Everyone here knows some amount of self defense, even our women. Most train as high as they can, and that's why there are fewer casualties here, except in war, like as we have now. The more you learn, the more chance you have to survive. The ones who don't learn as far or are incapable of learning as far don't get far in life and don't survive. And those who can't learn..." he trailed off and Hiccup shuddered. "Well, they don't survive," the judge finished.

Hiccup shook slightly, wondering what his fate was. "Those who remained in the mortal realms, however," the judge added. "Well, not only was the knowledge not really available to them, but they never grew up in as dangerous of circumstances, so they didn't really need to learn to cultivate their chi. It wouldn't really have mattered if they didn't learn it. The dangerous creatures and beasts that exist here don't exist there, and the most dangerous beasts and creatures they have there are a lot more docile and less dangerous than the weakest and least dangerous of creatures here."

Hiccup nodded, understanding. "Yes, Hiccup," the judge murmured. "That is why those few men could overpower the many of you so quickly. They didn't need to use much power to do it either. They were either from here or from the demon realms, though I highly doubt they were from the demon realms."

Hiccup looked up. "Demon realms?" he questioned.

But the judge shook his head again. "That is for another time. And now, about that man and the sword," he paused for a brief moment, looking away. "He is a very famous and infamous man here," he murmured, seeming disturbed. "The way you describe him, he is the captain of Hui Bao Li." He sighed before continuing. "The man follows Hui Bao Li's orders to the exactness and is hardly full of mercy. What he wants, he gets what he wants, as long as it doesn't go against his superiors. As does Bao Li. However, he does not go after those who hold little importance, but those who do, he does." Once more the judge looked at him curiously. "But as to why he would consider you important...as to why he would want someone from the _**mortal **_realms, that is a mystery. What threat could you pose?"

"That's what I was wondering!" Hiccup piped up.

The judge shook his head, somewhat disturbed. "And this sword you say he dropped hints about... the man seems to be talking about a Yang Sword..."

"Yes!" Hiccup perked up again. He hadn't remembered what the man had called it because the man had only mentioned the so-called name of the sword once. But upon hearing it, the boy immediately recognized the name. "That was what he called it!"

Once again the man gazed at the boy curiously. "But that's impossible..." he murmured silently, looking Hiccup up and down to which the boy was confused. "There's no way you could have it... There is no way you do have it... It wouldn't be in the mortal realms... Why would he think that you have it... Why would he think one would be in the mortal realms...?" the man continued to murmur in confusion. Then, he shook his head as if trying to clear something disturbing out. "There must have been some sort of mistake. There's no way you have it." But then he gazed at the boy curiously. "And yet he and Bao Li rarely make mistakes, and certainly not with something as a drastic nature as this..."

He stared at him for a moment longer before taking a sip of tea and acting as if nothing had happened. "This sword," Hiccup ventured carefully, sensing that this was a sensitive topic. "What is this Yang sword?"

But the man shook his head. "Never mind it." Hiccup, though dangerously curious, decided to drop the subject, not wanting to create more trouble.

"Now," the man began again, changing the subject. "About the bandit. That is what we're supposed to be talking about, isn't it?"

Hiccup nodded and waited for the man to let him begin. "Why don't you tell me more of your story and what you think you know about this bandit?"

Hiccup sighed and began his story again, starting at the place when he found out that there was such thing as an immortal, to the kind woman who helped him find work. When he mentioned that he was a blacksmith the judge's eyebrows raised and Hiccup explained how his culture worked, and how everyone, even nobility and royalty, or the chief's family, worked and had jobs. He also explained that a blacksmith was something that anyone could learn to be, even the chief. "Those of our noble and chiefly birth don't necessarily have the same amount of special treatment that you do," he added. "Though we do have some special privileges that the average doesn't. But we pride ourselves in work and independence, even our women. Everyone has job. Some women work in the public kitchens. Even my mother did. Many nobles work as farmers, as livestock raisers, as fishers, as rangers, hunters-"

"Rangers?" the judge inquired.

"Wanderers who gather medical herbs in the wild for our medicine elders to use," Hiccup explained. "They also do minor medical work, though nowhere near as much as the elders and those training to be elders do." He paused and sighed. "But the bottom line is that just as much as those who are common, we also have jobs to do. We just have extra jobs on top of what we do for a living, and that is what we are expected to do. My dad builds houses," Hiccup expounded further on his family. "He also repairs them. But he also has his chiefly duties on top of that. The chief's family, our royalty, the nobility, and those on the council do more than the common folk. The difference between the 'royals' along with the nobles, and those merely on the council, is that the 'royals' and nobles inherit their position and also inherit positions on the council, and the commoners earn spots on the council, sometimes by popular election. Even in the Viking Kingdom it is pretty much this same way, with a few differences," he admitted.

The judge looked at him curiously. "Why do you put royal in quotation?" he asked. "Are you not a royal?"

"Technically I am," Hiccup admitted. "And we use them interchangeably because the chief's family are indeed royalty, not that we admit it, but the official term and the one preferred is chief's family. But yes, I am royalty. Chief's family and royalty are one and the same thing, as well as honors and princess being one and the same thing; same position and thing, just a different title and word used. The reason we use chief's family and honors more often than royalty and princess is because those terms are used by the Viking kingdom and no one likes the Viking kingdom. We wanted to distinguish ourselves from them. But yes, we also use royalty and princess, for we are, but we use them sparingly and rarely because for the tribes it is an offensive term. In fact, our chief is a king or queen, and it is one and the same as king and queen. He or she rules the tribe as a king or queen, but we use chief, because, once again, the Viking kingdom uses king and queen and for us it is an offensive term. Same thing, different word used. In fact, the only difference is in wording."

The judge nodded in understanding. "And you are first prince of your tribe, are you not?"

Hiccup looked curiously, not understanding. "A crown prince?" the man inquired again. He smiled in amusement. "Same thing, different word," he quoted Hiccup in explanation.

Hiccup nodded. "Yes, I am heir prince. Same thing, different word. Only the Viking kingdom uses crown prince or crown princess. We use heir prince or heir honor to avoid offense."

The judge nodded and he seemed somewhat amused at the Vikings' quarrel with the Viking kingdom. "And so you got a job at Dong Guo's."

Hiccup nodded and continued his explanation of his stay, including his embarrassing incident. He also defended himself, stating that he meant no offense. He also explained right down to the part where he saw the shadow outside his window and pursued it. He explained how they found him, and how they framed him, and how they left before the crowd came and he was left alone with the evidence in the incident. "But I am positive that she is the bandit!" he told the judge.

At this the judge seemed to shut off. "Hear me out!" he pleaded and then he went and explained what he noticed. The judge seemed to open up, though only slightly.

Finally, when Hiccup was done explaining the judge seemed to have had enough. He raised his hand, palm towards Hiccup, and the boy immediately went silent. The judge proceeded to get up and walked to the door, summoning the guards in. Then he quietly shut the door. "Inquire," the boy heard him say to one of the guards. "If there is a Lady Ming Jue in the local inn at the orders of the judge," he ordered. "And make sure to do it quietly. I don't want this getting out. And if she is there she has a right to her rest."

"Yes sir," they nodded, bowing and then leaving. The door was shut again.

They waited for a good half hour before they returned, Dong Guo with them. The man glanced at Hiccup nervously, as if believing he was the bandit, and when the judge ordered him to speak the man did. "Yes," he admitted. "The second Lady of the Ming family is indeed staying at my inn, but at her orders we were not to talk about it, let alone that she is staying here in our city."

"And have there been attacks on your inn since her arrival?" the judge inquired.

Dong Guo thought for a moment, before replying honestly, in confusion, and somewhat hesitantly, "No. None at all."

"And were there attacks on your inn before her arrival?"

The man hesitated for a moment, in confusion, and thought some more before replying, "Yes, I believe there were."

The judge nodded. "That will be all for now." And with that Dong Guo was escorted out.

The judge sighed, some acceptance in his looks and Hiccup for once had hope that he won. The man nodded and when the guards returned Hiccup was taken back to his cell.

Toothless immediately got up when he saw the boy and began licking his face, pinning the boy to the ground to do so. "Yes, Toothless!" he exclaimed. "I'm happy to see you to! And I think he believes me! I think he knows that I'm innocent!"

Toothless nudged Hiccup, looking happy that they might make it out. "He knows that Lady Jue is the bandit!"

But upon hearing this, Toothless immediately growled at the boy and walked way, curling up on the far side of the cell after warming the place with fire. Burnt straw was scattered around for it and Hiccup sighed. "When are you going to believe me, Toothless? Lady Jue _**is**_ the bandit!" But at this Toothless merely growled again Hiccup, knowing that he had breached a sensitive topic between them, decided to drop the subject for both of their sakes.

Hiccup immediately sat down with a sigh and began to eat his uneaten meal. Toothless hadn't touched his, and it was a while before the night fury was willing to eat. That was how upset the dragon was.

Hiccup didn't understand it. It was so obvious that when Hiccup explained it to the judge, the judge got it! So why wouldn't Toothless believe him, even though he had explained everything to him? Why was that dragon so stubborn?

By the time afternoon came Hiccup and Toothless were taken once again out for the trial. But immediately Hiccup noticed a difference with the judge. Something had happened. His countenance seemed different and the judge seemed disturbed. And, of course, once again though everyone in the city had practically shown up, occupying even rooftops, Lady Jue and her servant Ying Hau were not seen. Hiccup sighed in frustration.

The guards lined the inner court, standing near trees and keeping the people at bay as the trial began again. But Hiccup was worried. The judge had seemed to positively believe Hiccup one hundred percent near the end of their discussions, and they had confirmed that Lady Jue must be the culprit. But from the look on the judge's face, he still believed Hiccup, he was merely afraid of something.

'Oh, no,' Hiccup thought again, looking downcast. 'Did Lady Jue get to him to? Did she threaten him?' That would of course explain her absence.

"Order!" the judge called. "Order in the court!" Immediately, everyone stood at attention. "We are here for the trial of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III," the judge began, now knowing Hiccup's full name as the boy had been truthful and honest and told him. The crowd stirred in surprise at his name, wondering what kind of name that was, and for once Hiccup was embarrassed at his name.

"Bring the evidence forward," the judge ordered, and immediately witness after witness repeated the same incident of finding him with the stolen items, and in black ash.

When they were done, the judge looked at him, almost apologetically. "Is there anything you wish to say?" he inquired of the young boy, and Hiccup knew that although he said anything it was too late. Something had happened to change the judge's behavior. But he decided to try anyways.

"I wish to explain my side of the case," Hiccup replied firmly and the judge nodded.

"Make it quick."

This surprised Hiccup. "Well, it's kind of a really long explanation-"

"We don't have time for long explanations, now do we, Hiccup?" the judge firmly and coldly replied and Hiccup stared at him in shock. Why the change?

Hiccup took a deep breath. He had to try. "Lady Jue is the bandit!" he declared aloud and immediately the crowd went crazy, trying to get at him. They would have if the guards hadn't been holding them back.

"He insulted the Lady of the Ming family!"

"Hang him!"

"Put a noose on his head!"

"Let me explain!" Hiccup shouted desperately, even though the crowd was not willing to hear him out. He looked at the judge pleadingly, and the judge looked away.

"Order! Order in the court!" the judge demanded and immediately the crowd went silent. Then he looked at Hiccup. "Is there anything else you would like to say?"

Hiccup nodded. "I can't possibly have been the bandit. The bandit has been attacking you for far longer than I have been here. I arrived just barely over a month and a half ago. I come from the mortal realms and I was kidnapped from my home. I'm a lost prince from the Viking-"

"A prince?" the people called in outrage.

"Impossible!"

"He's lying!"

"He's no prince! He's a blacksmith!"

"Off with him!"

"Hang him!"

"No, just let me explain!" Hiccup shouted desperately. "Our royalty are not like the royalty where you're from-"

"Hang him!"

"Order!"

Once again the crowd quieted down and Hiccup looked up to the judge desperately, but the man would not look at him. Instead the judge looked at the crowd. "There have been many witnesses," the judge announced. "And by the laws of our land, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is found guilty and will be hanged tomorrow morning. As his dragon is his accomplice, he will be punished too by death."

Immediately Hiccup paled and Toothless brayed in worry. The crowd, while cheering for Hiccup's death, were outraged at the dragon's sentence.

"Let the dragon go!"

"The dragon is innocent!"

"The dragon was dragged into this by that boy!"

"The dragon had no choice in anything!"

"Enough!" the judge suddenly ordered, and everyone went quiet when a stick was thrown to the ground. "My decision is final. Anyone who goes against it can join them." Immediately he motioned and Hiccup and Toothless were taken back to their cells.

Hiccup fell to the ground in shock, shaking. What had happened? "I-I-" the boy stuttered. "I d-don't u-understand!" Tears began falling from his face again as he knelt in shock. "He knew! HE KNEW!" Immediately the boy began sobbing again, and despite their differences Toothless brayed sadly and curled around his boy. "He knew we were innocent! _**HE KNEW WE WERE INNOCENT**_!"

They stayed like this for some time, Toothless nudging Hiccup gently and occasionally licking him to comfort him, and Hiccup, head in his hands, crying. "Th-They knew! Th-That's why they want us killed! They knew! Th-They knew we knew too much!"

He continued to cry for a little while, and eventually the guards came with food. Hiccup didn't look up, let alone eat, too depressed to do anything. Why were they doing this anyway? They were just going to kill him!

Hiccup did his best to sleep, but that night he was riddled with dreams of Lady Jue and Ying Hau laughing at him, taunting him, telling him he was going to die, but for some reason it didn't seem realistic, or like them. After all, they were more than likely to let him die quietly, right? Regardless, each time Hiccup woke up, it didn't feel right.

Hiccup's hair was completely messed up and tangled by the time morning came. His hair had grown out some during his brief stay here. Hiccup really didn't care what it looked like and as the guards came and chained him and his dragon, tears ran down his eyes. The judge knew, and yet he still had delivered him up unjustly to the pretended law. Why he gave into bribing, the boy didn't know, but it didn't seem fair. It was selfish if anything.

Hiccup was led along and out into the courtyard, his hands behind his back, chained. As he looked out, he saw a crowd formed, surrounding the post with which they would hang him, the noose already set up. He looked at the judge and the judge merely looked away coldly, refusing to meet his gaze.

They pushed him up the platform, his dragon not far behind. A separate noose hung for Toothless and the dragon brayed worriedly. Upon seeing the dragon pushed up to the platform, the crowd immediately cried out in outrage, only to be silenced by the judge.

Once the noose was placed around both of their necks, the judge stood up. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, you and your dragon have been found guilty of not only murder, but theft. As the jade bandits, you will be hanged according to law. Do you have any last words to say?"

Hiccup took a deep breath, nodding, and the judge waved his hand, allowing him to speak. "I'm am innocent," he began, only for the crowd to shout insults at him. "Everything I have spoken is the truth!" he declared loudly to the crowd and the crowd shouted more at him before quieting.

The judge then looked at the dragon, as if expecting him to speak, the people not surprised, and Toothless shook his head sadly.

The judge sighed, and turned around. "Seeing as you have said your piece," he announced. "We shall continue."

And with that, he gave a wave of his hand.

One of the guards walked towards a pole that no doubt would drop the boards so that they could hang, and Hiccup braced himself for the worse, gulping as he watched. Everything seemed slow motion, and the guard's hand reached forward to pull the pole.

But as his hand was placed on the pole and had pulled slightly, a voice rang out. "And why is this crowd gathered here?"

It was the voice of Lady Jue! So Hiccup's worst enemy had indeed turned up for the execution!

Hiccup watched as the men pulled back and bowed slightly to the lady as she and her servant emerged in all their glory of noble clothing, the golden strands of the weaving glittering in the sunlight and the sun reflecting off of her gold and silver earrings, the gold and silver jewelry on her forehead glittering as well. The crowd gasped in surprise that she was here and Lady Jue seemed to glide forward, her servant Ying Hau right behind her, dressed well and colorful with the exception of jewelry and gold in the clothing.

The judge's mouth parted slightly in shock as he stood frozen like everything else. "Lady Jue! Second lady of the Ming family!" he greeted her, shaking somewhat.

Lady Jue glanced briefly at Hiccup. "And why is this boy and his dragon tied to a noose, may I ask? You won't dare try to hang him before I'm informed, will you?"

The judge, shaking slightly shook his head. "Y-You know I wouldn't d-dare!" he stuttered out. "Why, it would be illegal! I cannot possibly hang someone before informing a noble present as to the accusations and crimes!"

Hiccup looked up curious. Why was Lady Jue doing this? Wasn't this what she wanted? After all, he had almost exposed her, and he had exposed her to the judge. So why was she interfering? Was she trying to toy with him more?

But what he did understand was more of the prerogatives and privileges that nobles had. Apparently, she held some sort of authority over him in this judicial matter, and they could not hang him with her present until she was informed as to what was going on.

"He is the jade bandit," the judge explained at which Hiccup immediately shouted, "I'm not! I was framed and you know it!"

The judge then glared at him, almost pleading forgiveness. "We are punishing him according to his crimes! He is guilty of death!" he added, finger pointing to the boy.

Lady Jue narrowed her eyes. "And the dragon? You would dare kill a sacred creature?"

At this the judge froze. "I-I," he stuttered. "But he is an accomplice!" He then bowed his head slightly at this and waved his hand again. "Hang them!" The guards immediately proceeded forward again and the hand was placed on the pole once more.

Lady Jue raised one eyebrow briefly at this outburst and then raised her chin slightly in authority. But what she said next surprised Hiccup. "Cut them down!"

"But-"

"I said, cut them down!" Lady Jue ordered. "Or are you going to dare go against the order of a daughter of the Ming family?"

To everyone's surprise the judge stood straight up and squared his shoulders. "Yes," he admitted rebelliously and the crowd muttered and gasped. "I have done what the law asks and requires. I have informed you as to his crime and guilt. You have no more authority in the matter."

Hiccup was eyeing Lady Jue suspiciously, unsure what to make of her, and he watched as Lady Jue got outraged. "I am a daughter of the Ming family!" she stated in outrage and authority.

"And I don't have to listen to you anymore," the judge declared, ignoring her, giving the signal to hang them again!

But Lady Jue seemed to have enough. Pulling out her card as a member of the Ming family she raised it above her head. Immediately the men who would have hanged Hiccup froze in confusion as of who to follow. "As the daughter of the Ming family, I order you to stop!"

"And you have no right or authority!" the judge yelled at her. "Only if you appeal to your father in time can that card do anything for you!" Once again he waved his hand. "Hang him!"

But the Lady, angry and outraged at his treatment of her (which was certainly worthy of death) reached into her pocket again and raised another card quietly above her head. "How about this, then?" she smirked slightly, and the crowd gasped. Hiccup, confused looked at the card as the crowd and the guards immediately knelt before her. It had what Hiccup guessed was the imperial seal on it for the card was in the name of the Empress and Emperor.

The judge turned around when he saw everyone kneeling and gasped when he saw the card, standing in shock, looking as if he wondered how on earth she had such a card.

Lady Jue stared almost haughtily at him and accused harshly, "You dare not kneel before someone acting in the name of the Empress and Emperor? Surely someone of your stature and authority knows the consequences of such? It is death to anyone who does not kneel and obey!"

Trembling, knowing this, the judge knelt before her. "With this card," the lady began. "I have authority to act in the name of the Empress and Emperor, with death to anyone who defies. Whatever I speak, it is as if the Empress and Emperor had spoken it! Death immediately to anyone who does not submit! They shall lose their head!"

Immediately knowing the power that the lady now held, Hiccup gulped, not understanding why she was doing this.

Lady Jue turned to face him, and Hiccup stood in confusion as Lady Jue ordered, "Cut them down."

Immediately the guards acknowledged her and did so, confused. The crowd did not look happy but they knew that they had no choice but to obey. When he and Toothless were cut down he looked deep into Lady Jue and Ying Hau's eyes, not sure why they were doing this. As she looked back at him, chin high, Lady Jue declared, "There will be a retrial scheduled for tomorrow, and this time we will hear _**all**_ sides of the case._** I**_ shall be their judge this time."

Hiccup's eyes widened in confusion and uncertainty. They were really going to do this? If so, was Toothless right that they were really not the enemy?

As he looked at them in shock, Lady Jue and Ying Hau stared back at him. 'Well,' Hiccup thought. 'This just got interesting.'

**All right, so that's the end of this chapter.**

**Also, the song is a loose translation (no I did not translate it). The Pinyin title is Ci Sheng Bu Huan, and by Blue Bird Flying Fish for the Chinese Paladin 3 soundtrack. Loosly translated, Never Exchange. The song is really pretty. It is available on itunes for purchase, but be aware that if you type it onto the itunes search box it will not show up let alone that it exists on itunes for some odd, crazy reason. What you have to do is go on google and type in Chinese Paladin 3 + itunes, or more specifically, how I found it, by typing into google Ci Sheng Bu Huan + itunes, and then it will give you a link to it on the itunes website. Another thing to be aware is that it is sold in pounds, or whatever the currency in the UK is, but if you're in America you can still purchase it with an itunes card even though it's in pounds.**

**The song is really pretty! Check it out sometime!**

**And no, the song is not mine. All credit goes to the artists!**

**Please read and review. I decided to go ahead with this chapter and give this story a second chance, but if I can't get reviews, I may cancel it if me and my beta can't get this story where people like it.**

**If you like it or are reading it please review! That is unless you want it axed.**

**Sincerely,**

**Firestar'sniece**


	5. Chapter 5: The Trial

**Wow! Might I say that some of the soundtrack music from Chinese Paladin I and Chinese Paladin III are incredibly beautiful!**

**Also...**

**I don't own How to Train Your Dragon.**

Chapter Five: The Trial

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup had a hard time sleeping that night, but who could blame him? After all, he had nearly been executed for a crime that he didn't commit and he wasn't quite out of the woods yet. His retrial was scheduled for that day and he was as nervous as ever. His name had already been tainted and it was bad enough that he had a large city, and a major city at that, that believed that he was the jade bandit.

The boy sighed. Toothless had been exhausted and the moment they were put back in their cell the dragon had collapsed and fallen asleep. There had been more than enough drama that day for him.

Hiccup had to admit that it had been a close call. But still, why hadn't Lady Jue just let him hang? That is unless Toothless had been right and she wasn't the bandit... After all, why else save him? But even then Hiccup was still sure that she was lying about something, even if she had saved him. She and her servant were. There was something they weren't saying, something they weren't being honest and truthful about. But were they a threat to him? Hiccup still couldn't tell. Hiccup now didn't want to believe that they were since they were practically his rescuers, but he felt that they were still powerful, dangerous beings. He knew he would have to be cautious around them until he was absolutely sure that they meant him no harm.

That is, unless they were the bandits and were merely toying with him, as if they were trying to corner him by having him in debt to them so that they could use him in some way?

Hiccup sighed, in fetal position for comfort, arms wrapped around his legs. Tears had gone down his face once again and he sobbed silently, shaking his head to clear it. What was going on? Why him? Why had he been chosen to take the blame and take the fall for the crime? What was so special about him?

Suddenly, his thoughts drifted to Astrid and her beautiful face. Tears started streaking down his eyes once again, and they pooled and gathered on the floor, a testament to his deep distress and agony that he was under. Oh, to see her face in real life again!

"Astrid," he murmured silently, crying more, in distress. "You don't know how much I miss you! You don't know how much I am homesick, for Berk and for you! I wish that you and dad could come rescue me! But I know that I would just be condemning you to a dangerous journey if you did so, according to the judge." He sniffed some. He never cried in public and he never wanted to be seen crying in public. It was the Viking way. Only Toothless had ever seen him cry. "Why me?" he asked aloud quietly, wondering about the judge. "Why did you pick to have me die, after you knew I was telling the truth? Why would you betray me like this?"

And so he sighed, in confusion and distress, not entirely understanding his predicament either. As he heard footsteps approaching he realized that morning must have come already. Drying off his tears quickly, hoping he didn't look too upset, he walked over to his dragon and nudged Toothless gently awake. Then, as the footsteps grew louder and the door to the entire room opened, he braced himself for that day and what was to come.

They weren't given anything to eat as the trial was ready to begin. Chained and shackled, both he and his dragon, they were led out once more to the courtyard outside, the people gathered eagerly, awaiting to see what the lady would say about his predicament. Most were whispering that he was still guilty and that the Lady would have him executed for trying to stain her name. Still, many wondered why the Lady bothered interfering anyways. That, and many were curious as to why the judge had been acting strangely like he did. It wasn't like the judge to yell at a noblewoman, especially one from a powerful family like the Ming family.

As Hiccup stepped into the courtyard, he looked around and his dragon crooned in delight upon seeing Lady Jue and Ying Hau standing beside her chair on the stand. While Hiccup looked between his dragon and the two that were in front of the desk, he couldn't help but be curious as to why his dragon was reacting this way. True, they had saved him, but why? And did they save him for the sake of his innocence or was there a more sinister reason behind it? Truth be told, Hiccup didn't know what to think of them anymore.

As he looked at them cautiously Lady Jue tilted her head as she gazed at him, an aura of authority about her, and as Ying Hau bent forward and whispered something in her ear the Lady bent her head to better hear the other young girl. Ying Hau's eyes flickered to Hiccup and back to the Lady and the Lady nodded, Hiccup curious about what had passed between them. But whatever it was, no one else seemed to notice except him and his dragon as his dragon tilted his heard curiously and in confusion at this, then glanced briefly at Hiccup. The other commoners were busy gossiping, the judge who was on a podium below Lady Jue and Ying Hau, who was there to observe, was merely gazing at Hiccup in fear and apprehension, and the guards were busy walking around, occasionally glancing at Hiccup, mostly trying to secure the perimeter.

Lady Jue's podium stood above that of the judge, which was natural as she was of a noble family and therefore more deference and respect were shown to her than even to the judge. While the judge, once again dressed ornately in his long, flowing robes with wide sleeves, gold woven in them, sat in front of a desk, the various judging instruments on them, including the sticks, the Lady sat with no desk in front of her, instead seated in a chair, dressed very ornately than normal like the noblewoman she was. Long earrings flowed from her ears, shaking as she moved, made of gold and silver. Her hair was up in what Hiccup thought was an unusual fashion, piled on top of her head in an oblong manner, flowers on the front part of her hair as well as jewelry hanging from her hair, more than normal that is. Her robe-like gown seemed to be made of pure gold and silver woven together, the embroidery intricately forming flowers made of red, purple, a golden-yellow that was slightly darker than the gold weaving, and green of various depths and colors. Diamonds sparkled from her outfit, and a few gems that must have been precious that Hiccup didn't recognize.

Ying Hau's garment was also ornate, seemingly woven of gold and silver as well with the intricate embroidery. However she was minus the diamonds and other precious things. Her hair was piled similarly and while she had fresh flowers in her hair, she was minus the various ornaments, her gold and silver earrings more simple.

Once again, the Lady and the servant seemed to exchange a conversation, Lady Jue's head turned to where Hiccup couldn't even lip read if he were able. Then she turned once again and gazed curiously at Hiccup, Toothless tilting his head as the dragon glanced back and forth between Hiccup and the Lady, wondering what on earth was passing between them. Hiccup merely gazed on. Once he glanced at the guards moving around the courtyard, their black robe-like clothing moving smoothly as they walked around, leaving Hiccup wondering how they could move so deftly and fluidly in a 'dress'.

And so Hiccup stood before them passively, not showing any emotion, not wanting his fear to show. But in truth he was scared beyond anything. He gazed around nervously and noticed the guards were doubled and they were lining the courtyard, no doubt to protect the Lady should anything happen. But the question was, protect from whom? Was the Lady acting as if Hiccup was a danger that she needed to be protected from?

Once again, the yelling began.

"Off with him!"

"Hang him!"

"He's the Jade Bandit! He's guilty!"

"Hang him!"

But all Lady Jue did was hold up her hand, palm up, and they silenced immediately at her non-vocal order. It was then that Hiccup realized that unlike the judge she did not need the sticks to have someone beat if she were to order it. As a Lady, they would have to follow her orders exactly, without any questions or any instruments to back up what she said.

"Let there be order in the court," the young noblewoman ordered, her servant standing faithfully by her side. Immediately the people quieted and Hiccup was impressed by how much and how faithfully they followed her order. They had not even obeyed the judge _**this**_ well. In a way, Hiccup had to admit that he was impressed.

Lady Jue gazed at Hiccup with her next statement. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III," she announced calmly but with authority and power in every bit of her voice. "You are here for a retrial on accusations of being the Jade bandit. Here we shall see whether that be true or not." And with that she nodded to the guards. But what came next caught Hiccup by surprise. The guards walked over and unlocked the chains and shackles from him and his dragon. Hiccup, in shock and surprise merely gazed at the lady, the courtyard silent, no one daring to oppose what the Lady of the Ming family had done.

But as Hiccup gazed at her, the woman merely smiled. "You won't be needing those," she sweetly said. "No one who appears before me is allowed to appear chained and shackled, or in any way that may make people judge one way or another. All are on equal ground here. In my court it is innocent until proven guilty, unlike what some may do," she added sharply at the end, gazing reprovingly at the judge at which the judge flinched. But not even he dare talk back to the Lady this time.

At this point Hiccup had to admit that he was very impressed with the Lady, if not confused at why she was going through all this trouble for him. Not even Stoick the Vast, fair as the man tried to be, would have someone unchained that was accused of a crime. And here this noble Lady was trying to be fair. With Hiccup's father, once the man had decided on someone's fate it was already sealed, and the man merely presented evidence that went to why he decided the way he did. It was simply the Viking way. In his society, a person would have to prove their innocence. It was very much guilty until proven innocent. Hiccup had learned this the hard way when he had had to fight the Red death just to prove that not only was he loyal and still very much loved his father, but that dragons weren't dangerous and were just trying to protect themselves.

But here, in this society, this was very much different and expected. This was something that Hiccup had never experienced before, and yet is seemed right, and the way things should be. And... it seemed right _**and **_familiar, like this was what he was fighting to have in Viking society all along. This seemed to be the better way to do things.

'Hmm,' Hiccup thought, his mind wandering down different paths suddenly. And right then Hiccup could see that maybe being brought here wasn't a bad idea after all, if it meant being exposed to new things like this. He could suddenly envision himself as he would be when he became chief, trying to create a fairer society with some things he had picked up here, such as one being innocent until proven guilty.

He saw himself for a brief moment, older, more mature, and yet young as if a new chief due to his father dying, judging a young man fairly as if he had not committed the crime yet, and trying to determine fairly whether or not this man _**was**_ guilty. He could see himself demanding order in the Mead Hall to the many who were shouting accusations at him, declaring him guilty already, while Hiccup gave no judgment yet.

The young man had his head down as the accusations were hurled at him, much like Hiccup had done a day ago in the courtyard here, and as if watching himself and the way he did things, he heard himself announce to the many people loudly and clearly, "In my reign it shall be innocent until proven guilty." He watched the shock and surprise spread throughout the people, he seated on his throne as chief, and the young man slowly raising his head, hope in his eyes for the first time.

As this spread through his thoughts, a sudden flashback of when he was back on Berk came back to him. His father was trying to explain to him the responsibilities of being chief to him, anticipating his ceremony where he would be heir prince officially, and where his position as heir prince would be secured forever. It was then and there that Hiccup realized that to do something of the such meant that he had to become chief first and accept the responsibility there. Immediately, he shuddered at the thought, not wanting to be chief at all. 'Surely there is another way for me to make the change without me being chief?' he thought to himself.

Suddenly, his thoughts were pulled back as Lady Jue began speaking again. "We are also here to try the misconduct of your judge, seeing as wherever I have been, it has always been innocent until proven guilty, and one is not to appear in court in any way that may cause other to cast premature judgment on them, such as having them brought in chains," she announced. "After all," she continued, casting her gaze around, and having it land on the judge. "That is the way it was instituted through _**all**_ the empire." Then she turned her gaze to the crowd that was gathered. "It has _**always **_been innocent until proven guilty." Her reprimand was sharp, yet clear and the crowd seemed to shrink before her as she said these things.

Hiccup sighed, glancing around as she talked again. "Now, I know that you're all eager to catch the Jade bandit, but that is no reason to throw away law, order, and justice. You should all be ashamed of yourselves."

The crowd stood silently, frozen, and it was then Hiccup saw how much they had all gone against the law with his imprisonment. 'So this is not the way things normally are,' he thought to himself, curious for the first time. So, if this was not how things normally were, then how were things normally in the court room?

"And I _**never**_ want to hear of something like this happening _**ever again**_. Do I make myself clear?"

The people in the crowd seemed to fidget uncomfortably, and there was a nodding of heads quietly before Lady Jue relaxed her gaze on them.

"Then without further adieu," Lady Jue replied sweetly, her voice softening immediately. "I am here to announce that a new judge will take the stand." With that she gestured to another man, a man with a mustache, was thin, and had shorter hair than the average. As he walked up to the stand, the old judge took off his ceremonial robes, revealing a plain tan shirt and black pants underneath, and, ceremonially robbing the other man in the robe (a look of disappointment and dissatisfaction on his face) he left to take his place in the crowd, the new man sitting down softly at the desk, glancing briefly at the Lady, who nodded at him.

Hiccup stared in shock. This was completely unexpected! What was the Lady doing? But as Hiccup gazed at this calm man, he seemed more humble, more fair, and he couldn't help but approve of the Lady's decision.

"And so now," the Lady began calmly, gazing at Hiccup, her eyes resting on him, seeming to sharply penetrate them, her blue eyes rather dazzling. "We begin the trial." She looked away briefly, announcing, "Bring the evidence forward."

Once again, the evidence from the previous days was brought and witness after witness came forward, bring the accusation and the witness of what they saw, declaring him to be the bandit. Hiccup shook slightly nervously, not sure how Lady Jue would judge him after hearing all this. But to his surprise she remained impassive, merely listening carefully to the evidence.

But at the same time, the witnesses were more cautious, more careful as they brought everything forward, especially with how displeased the Lady was of how they had had handled the last trial. No one seemed to want to get on her bad side. They would merely give their witness, and then state that they believed him to be the bandit, without giving the harsh accusations, yelling and pointing at him, like at the last trial. Then the Lady would nod to them and they would leave the stands that were situated. Hiccup had to admit though, he was impressed at how well Lady Jue was able to handle the courtroom.

And yet Ying Hau seemed to be paying close attention as well, her green, narrow eyes rather sharp and discerning. If Hiccup were to judge between them of who was more beautiful, Ying Hau would definitely win by a long shot. Hey, she was even more beautiful than Astrid! She was more beautiful than any girl he had ever seen!

But his heart still belonged to Astrid in the end, and not even her beauty could sway him from Astrid and his feelings for her. 'Too bad the Viking marrying age is twenty-four,' he thought with pity. And though that be the case, they were allowed to betroth at the age of twenty-one. Hiccup would certainly be willing, but he wondered if Astrid would? Maybe it would be too soon for her? 'I guess the only way for me to find out is for me to get back to Berk,' he thought.

The only other way for him and Astrid to get married below that age was if they were married in a different culture. The Vikings respected and recognized marriages that happened in other cultures, even those outside the Viking culture, as long as it wasn't done at too low an age. Sixteen was the youngest age that they would recognize a marriage as legitimate.

And it so happened once that two couples had come to Berk to live as Vikings, the two being sixteen almost seventeen, and the others sixteen barely turned. Because the first couple had been married at sixteen, their marriage had been considered legitimate and was recognized, they being viewed as married, but because the other two, though sixteen, had been married at fourteen, there marriage wasn't recognized, to their disappointment.

They'd had to leave for a while and find a culture that would marry them at sixteen years of age, (not many except in the western European countries did), and only once they got married there and came back, only then was their marriage recognized. Sure, if they hadn't been running away from their country and culture they could have returned there and gotten remarried, but because they couldn't return to their old country, they had had to find a different culture to get married in.

As Hiccup thought on these things, he realized that he wasn't ready for marriage and the responsibilities that came with marriage. He wouldn't be until he was at least eighteen. He wanted a good few years before he even considered eloping with Astrid once he returned to Berk.

As Hiccup's gaze drifted away from Ying Hau and her enchanting gaze and demeanor, he realized that Lady Jue was in the middle of saying something.

"It is now time for us to hear the defense," she announced. Nodding toward Hiccup, the boy stepped forward with his dragon.

But Hiccup was nervous. "What am I aloud to say this time?" he cautiously questioned, trying not to offend the Lady.

The woman gazed at him softly. "Everything," she gently replied.

Hiccup nodded and launched into his story, starting at his arrival in Nan Zhao and how it was he was able to secure a job at Dong Guo's. At this he gazed around the crowd and to his surprise he found Dong Guo there. He explained why he needed to be an employee, though he skipped out on the part of where he was found in Lady Jue's closet, not just for Lady Jue's sake, but his own as well. Hiccup explained what he saw the night he was caught and arrested on accusations of being the bandit.

Then the poor boy gulped knowing what he had to do next. "May I say something else?" he inquired carefully, and the Lady nodded, the new judge gazing at him, intrigued by his story. Hiccup glanced at his dragon, who growled irritatingly at him as if knowing what he was about to do, and Hiccup gazed around the crowd, nervous suddenly. He turned back to Lady Jue, picking his words carefully. "I thought you were the bandit," he admitted, and the judge's eyes widened, if not angry somewhat.

Immediately the courtroom rang out with accusations against him.

"Do you see what he's doing?!"

"Hang him!"

"He has insulted the Ming family!"

"Off with him!"

Hiccup immediately cringed. He hadn't meant to offend the Ming family, merely bring up some of his thoughts. He was afraid of what the Lady would do to him now, seeing as he had practically insulted the Lady to her face while trying to be truthful.

But to the boy's surprise the woman gripped the arms of her throne and stood up suddenly, shouting, "SILENCE!"

The crowd immediately hushed, and the woman gazed at him, authority but no accusation on her face. "I believe an explanation is in order?" the woman raised her eyebrow at him, demanding that he speak, and yet she didn't seem offended, rather something else. Impressed almost?

Hiccup was suddenly nervous, his dragon growling at him in accusation and disapproval, and suddenly the boy realized that the only support he was getting in this was surprisingly from the woman he had accused.

Hiccup, shaking, began his explanation, giving most everything he had observed, leaving out the part where he had suspected that she was not a Lady and where he had broken into her room to find out that she was, in fact, a Lady. When he was done, he glanced up at the woman and her servant, and to his surprise, there was no anger there. But to his surprise, the Lady seemed impressed while the servant did not, as if she had suspected all along that he was a very observant person.

Lady Jue raised her eyebrows. "Quite an intriguing theory, actually," she tilted her head, quite impressed, then smiled at him a little. "You're very observant, you know. But you got it wrong, actually. I'm not the bandit." And once more she smiled.

It was at this moment that Hiccup realized that he was wrong. She was indeed _**not**_ the bandit, though she did seem to be hiding something, she and her servant. But then again, everyone had secrets. Hiccup found himself believing her, and for the first time, trusting her. Maybe she wasn't as dangerous as she seemed. But there was no doubt that she was powerful. Perhaps she never meant him harm to begin with. Suddenly, that deal she made to be her inventor seemed more appealing.

Hiccup took deep breath. "I know," he admitted. "I know that now, but I didn't know that then. After all, if you were truly the bandit you would have let me hang."

"And if I were the bandit, indeed I would have," she admitted, a single eyebrow raised as she spoke it quietly. "But still, quite the theory, and quite the observation," she mulled.

With that the woman turned to the crowd. "There is no reason to be angry with him," she announced fairly. "Anyone and everyone is allowed to speak their minds here, no matter what." Tilting her head and looking at Hiccup she smiled sweetly. "And after hearing everything, without further ado, I have to declare them innocent. There is no way Hiccup can be the bandit nor his sacred creature the accomplice. They were merely framed."

Hiccup's mouth dropped in shock. He felt his frame shaking in joy. He was getting off! He and Toothless would survive this! As he gazed around he saw that the crowd respected the Lady's decision, and as they thought things over they seemed to be coming to the same conclusion: he couldn't be the bandit. Though there still seemed to be some that suspected him.

"However," the Lady continued and Hiccup groaned with what was said next. "I am afraid I cannot let you leave Hiccup. You and your dragon will remain under guard for your own protection until such time as the bandits are apprehended. We need you here for their trial."

Once again, Hiccup groaned, almost whining. 'Great,' he thought to himself. 'I'm still stuck here. But at least I'm not in a cell.' He sighed in frustration. He wanted to leave really bad. "And how long will that take?" he asked the Lady, not so careful with his tone of voice this time.

But to the boy's frustration she merely shrugged. "How am I to know? When we find them, we find them."

(A few hours later)

(Hiccup Point of View)

There, in the most unlikely of circumstances, was Hiccup and Toothless, having tea with Lady Jue and Ying Hau on rather _**good**_ terms, and Hiccup actually found himself _**enjoying**_ their company. Strange, huh? At least that's what Hiccup though. If it had been two days ago Hiccup would never have thought this was happening. Of course Toothless, being a dragon, didn't actually have tea, and Hiccup, never one to enjoy the foul stuff, politely refused.

"Very well," Lady Jue acknowledged, amusement on her face.

But Ying Hau was staring at him. "You remind me very much of someone I know," she commented, then quickly changed the subject, leaving Hiccup wondering what on earth she meant. _**Did**_ he actually know her?

"So," Ying Hau smiled subtly at him. "You seem rather eager to get home?"

For Hiccup, only a few hours ago, before he knew that Lady Jue and Ying Hau were not the jade bandits, this would have been a touchy subject for him. But now, he was willing to be more open with them and more cooperative, even if they were not. In all honesty, they seemed like good people.

Hiccup sighed. "I miss my tribe," he admitted, suddenly scooting his untouched tea cup around with his finger. "I miss my people. I miss my father. I miss... I miss Astrid."

Ying Hau and Lady Jue seemed to perk up at this. "You left someone special behind?" Ying Hau inquired, glancing briefly at Lady Jue, another conversation seemingly going on between them. Then Toothless, who was curious at this, cocked his head at them.

Hiccup took no notice, however, which was unusual since he usually did. But he was so wrapped up in his feelings and thoughts, how homesick he felt, that he didn't notice. "Yes," Hiccup admitted. "She - She's my girlfriend, though unofficially."

Lady Jue raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Unofficially?" she asked, clearly not happy about the term.

Hiccup nodded, looking up at them. Only Ying Hau remained expressionless as she watched and observed everything. "Yes," Hiccup sighed, and at the look from Lady Jue, and her unimpressed demeanor, he decided to explain. "Okay, so she's my girlfriend _**implied**_. We've never really asked each other out, or gone on official dates. We've never officially courted each other, even though she's slightly older than me, and I'm barely sixteen. I've been sixteen for three months before I came here, as tradition states that I must be officially recognized heir prince not long after my sixteenth birthday. We, Vikings, aren't allowed to court or date before our sixteenth birthday, so we couldn't date beforehand, and, as heir prince, I wasn't allowed to date until I was officially recognized."

Ying Hau nodded in understanding. It was then that Hiccup realized that Ying Hau thought he was older than he actually was.

But Lady Jue was still unimpressed and Toothless eyed her curiously. Suddenly, as if trying to act funny, he gave one of his toothless smiles and stuck his tongue out. At this Ying Hau laughed. But Lady Jue for once, seemed to ignore him. "And you didn't ask her out before you left?"

"Well it's not like I had time!" Hiccup protested, frustrated. "I mean, I was kidnapped the next day, after the ceremony!" At this, Lady Jue looked surprised. "That, and I don't feel ready to date! Neither of us do, even though we both have feelings for each other! The marrying age isn't until twenty-four, after all!"

"And you are sure that she has feelings for you?" Lady Jue asked. "Or is it a delusion and fantasy?" But to Hiccup's surprise, the Lady turned to Ying Hau, and Ying Hau, after seemingly appraising him, turned to Hiccup.

"It is indeed true love," she acknowledged. "I believe you have met your future fianceé, and future wife."

Hiccup this time raised his eyebrows. "That's if I ever make it back. She may end up marrying someone else if I don't."

"She won't," reassured Ying Hau, seemingly knowing something he didn't. "And even if you didn't ever make it back, she would never marry someone else. She wants to marry you and only you. She's sixteen and already sure. She's very loyal to you, as loyal as you are to her, perhaps more so."

"Wow," Hiccup admitted, somewhat impressed with the servant, and even Lady Jue was smiling in pride slightly. While he had to admit that he was somewhat skeptical, at the same time he found himself wanting to believe it. He wanted to believe that just as sure was he was of Astrid, Astrid was that sure of him.

"And you think Toothless and I will get home?" Hiccup inquired and Toothless stared at them desperately, his eyes very expressive at how much he wanted to go home.

Lady Jue glanced at Ying Hau. "Well of course," the servant replied. "Don't you believe in hope?" But at this, Hiccup glanced at Toothless, confused. Though the dragon seemed to understand what had passed between the two, Hiccup did not. Toothless groaned back and warbled as he looked at him. But one thing Hiccup was sure. Lady Jue's words seemed deeper than what was on the surface. What did they know that he did not?

At this, the cups of Ying Hau and Lady Jue were empty, and they were about ready to get up when suddenly one of the court guards rushed up to Lady Jue and whispered in her ears. She smiled and then nodded, turning back to Hiccup as both dragon and human watched the retreating figure, whose robes were waving in the wind as he ran.  
Hiccup turned his attention to look at the Lady. "Well," she informed him. "It seems that we've found our bandits."

"That was quick," Hiccup muttered under his breath.

(The next day)

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup got woken up to one of the guards shaking him awake. "All right," he muttered, eyes still closed as he was trying to get some rest. He was back in the services of Dong Guo, who had taken him back warmly, having totally forgiven him for what he didn't do. In fact, he had been given a day off as a reward that way he could rest from the trauma of his experience. He wasn't expected to return to work for a few days.

Some time, after the real bandits had been detained, two females apparently, Hiccup had gone back to his hotel room to rest, and he had not woken up since. Then the guards came in to inform him of the trial and feeling groggy he'd had no choice to get up.

"Very well," the shallow voice of the guard acknowledged. "The trial is in twenty minutes, and if you're not there then Lady Jue has given us permission to drag you out."

'Of course she would,' he thought to himself, somewhat irritable. Then, upon hearing them leave, he opened his eyes, got up and shook a groggy Toothless awake, and changed into some nicer clothes, his old Viking clothes. Toothless, meanwhile, stumbled around like a drunk dragon as the poor creature tried to shake the sleep from his eyes.

Hiccup had changed a lot in the month and a half that he had been here. As everyone had their hair long, there were very few who were actually willing to cut his hair for they thought that it looked weird (not that he could afford it, not having much Nan Zhao money). That, and he wanted to blend in, so he decided to let his hair grow out. For some reason, to his surprise, the cross through the realm had temporarily given his hair a growth spurt. It now reached to his shoulders.

While Hiccup still had his Viking clothes, his wardrobe had changed also. While he still didn't have much, only a few changes of apparel (he had to wash his clothes every few days), he had been able to buy some quality things to his surprise. In his dresser were five Nan Zhao shirts and pants with the accompanying outer robes that the men wore. His shirts were mainly white and brown, and his robes were a pure white one, a tan colored one, a leather one (more for when they had advanced warning that they were being attacked as it protected him somewhat), a brown one, and a pale forest green one, one of his more elaborate ones that he decided to spend money on on a whim. To his surprise even the things that the lowest class wore, what he wore, were very good quality and very hardy. He also had a couple pairs of brown shoes, one for every day work, and one for journeying and walking. They were also very good quality even for something that only low class could afford. In fact everything he had was a lot better quality than what the Vikings got and had, even though their stuff was especially good quality, especially the things of the chief's family and nobles.

Hiccup, as part of the chief's family had been used to slightly better stuff than what the average Viking got. He was, after all, the son of the chief. Commoners still had good quality things, and there wasn't that much of a difference, but there was difference enough to where it was noticeable. After all, it wasn't as if the chief's family taxed the commoners, like in other countries outside the Viking societies. But, as a general rule, the chief's family and the nobles were only slightly better to do, but not by much.

And if the so called lowest quality here in Nan Zhao was this good, who knew how good the stuff was that the high class wore? Hiccup had to wonder.

Finding a spare ribbon out of a group that Hiccup had bought, Hiccup brought his hair into a pony tail, not wanting it to get into his eyes. He honestly had no idea how on earth the girls dealt with hair this long back home! Suddenly he understood why they put their hair up.

Looking into a mirror, seeing his green shirt and leather vest that was still in good condition, wearing his Viking pants and Viking boots, he nodded in approval and walked out, Toothless behind him, appraising him, appreciating his old look better than the new one. The dragon had been staring curiously at him as he was looking in the mirror at himself.

Hiccup thought as he left. Eventually he was going to buy more clothes, but for now, what he had would have to do. When Hiccup left Berk he had many outfits, and each year his father payed for more, especially since he was a growing boy. When he became a man at the age of twenty he would be expected to provide for himself, and as a blacksmith he would be more than able to. He would also be expected to move out and it was tradition that he helped build his first house, he being a royal. It was what all royals and nobles did, though not necessarily what the commoners did. Royals and nobles had more expectations on them than commoners, and they were expected to set higher examples, thus Stoick's disappointment in Hiccup when he was young. Commoners just bought their own houses when they moved out.

And so, as every child, male and female, saved up money for a small house for when they moved out, it was tradition for them to sell their houses when they got married, and to buy a bigger house together, or as he was a royal, both royals and nobles were expected to pay for property and build their own houses with the aid of the village. The one marrying the royal or noble spouse was not under this obligation to help fund it (unlike a common marriage), and but he/she did have say in how it was built. But it was to be funded by the royal or noble. Thus, Astrid wouldn't have much to worry about helping to buy it when it came to having their married house built, as they called it. Also, if a commoner was slightly better to do by then, they too would have their houses built.

So much he had back home, that he just realized. And so little he had here. It was definitely a humbling experience. But as Vikings they were used to roughing it, thus he was more than capable of handling it. Vikings were taught to live in survival and were to demonstrate it for two years at a time, and by age ten Hiccup had his rite of passage that every Viking went through done. To his surprise, he passed with flying colors, almost as if he had lived in survival before. In fact to everyone's surprise, he had actually prospered, managing to build a small village by himself. The only reason they knew he built it is they caught him building another house when they came to get him. Even Hiccup didn't know how he did it. He expected to fail, maybe even to die. Granted, the vast majority of Vikings survived and very few died due to being well educated on survival before their rite of passage (but there were some within a ten year period that did die), but no one ever prospered like he did.

And so, at age twelve, he was back in the village, being the village disappointment again. His fame had been short lived. Though, he had to admit, not even Snotlout had done that well. His peers had teased him because he almost failed.

As Hiccup walked into the courtyard, Toothless by his side, Hiccup saw Lady Jue sitting on her throne, her loyal servant Ying Hau by her side. They both acknowledged him when he was there and as soon after he took his stand, the same one he had taken before, the bandits were brought out.

They were exactly the height and build that Hiccup remembered, a _**very**_ similar height and build to Lady Jue and Ying Hau, but they looked _**very**_ different from them. This time he could see their faces. They looked to be related to each other, the woman several years older than the younger woman, almost as if they were mother-daughter. But to Hiccup's surprise, they also brought in Sharp Eyes. Hiccup's own eyes widened when he saw the man, and as he looked at Lady Jue and Ying Hau he noted that they did not appear to know who the authorities had taken in until such the moment that they were brought in before them for trial.

"Order in the court!" Lady Jue called and immediately the crowd, who was just beginning to appear, silenced. As this trial was very popular it was clear that more people would be gathering around as the trial progressed. Apparently, people were late and Hiccup suspected that word had not gotten around for the trial fast enough. After all, the trial began earlier than expected, and it had been such a quick change from the original time.

As the people silenced, Lady Jue looked on, and a paper was brought to her, no doubt with the names of the individuals. The guard who brought it to her waited until she was done reading it, and when she was she nodded and handed it back to him. The guard swiftly moved away, and Hiccup was surprised to see that his hair was up like his own. The guards did not usually wear their hair this way. It was something that the commoners would do, but not necessarily the guards.

"Order in the court!" Lady Jue called again, and leaned in as Ying Hau whispered something in her ear. After nodding in acknowledgment she began to announce, "We are here for the trial of Tsui Fo-Hai on accusations of conspiring with the jade bandits as their brother and uncle." At this Hiccup's eyes widened. He had worked right alongside them, and all this time he was working with the jade bandits? "We are also here for the trial of Quan Fai Li and Quan Mei Yu on charges of being the jade bandits."

There were gasps around the crowd as this was said. But Lady Jue silenced the crowd by raising her hand up, palm out. The crowd calmed down, though they did look angry at the three people accused on the stand.

As Hiccup wondered why he hadn't been informed that someone that worked at the inn he stayed and worked at had been arrested, Lady Jue began speaking again before beckoning him with her hand. "In this court it is innocent until proven guilty, therefore avoid any judging thoughts to these people, unlike what you did with that young man over there. And now the witness must take the stand."

As Hiccup was beckoned forward he walked with Toothless at his side and as he glanced at Sharp Eyes, for the first time having heard his real name (well everyone for that matter), he flinched under the sharp and penetrating glare of Sharp Eyes. 'I guess I know why he's called that now,' he thought sarcastically, trying to offset his fear and nerves.

"Now," Lady Jue commanded, staring at Hiccup in a commanding way. "Testify of what you saw. Tell us _**everything**_."

Hiccup stared at her, in complete surprise. "You want me to repeat **_everything_** from the first trial?"

"Yes," was the response.

"But why?" he asked, completely confused. "I already stated everything there!"

"But this is a new trial, you see?"

And so the boy sighed in exasperation, though he had to admit as annoyed as he was even she was trying to be fair to the new people being accused, and he admired her for that. 'That's something to keep in mind if I'm ever forced to be chief,' he thought to himself, though he secretly hoped he died well before then.

And with all that he began at the beginning and told everything he knew, including about the giant creature in the sky.

"A falcon raptor," he heard Lady Jue say. When Hiccup had given this information in the previous court trial Hiccup noticed that they all seemed to be immediately aware of what this creature was and they seemed to fear it (all except for Lady Jue and Ying Hau for some reason) but this was the first time he had heard what the creature actually was spoken allowed. Ying Hau looked at Hiccup in pity and worry before her eyes drifted with the same concern to Toothless.

Lady Jue then turned to the dragon. "Is all this true?" she asked him. "Do you believe your friend to be honest?"

Toothless nodded his head, clearly displaying his intelligence and his awareness of what was going on.

Lady Jue then sighed, and the trial continued, for several hours in fact. Guard after guard stepped forward bringing evidence of things that had been stolen and found in the house that the women were staying at. They almost had not noticed it until they found one of the jewels sticking out of a hiding place. It was then, when they realized what they had found that the women had attacked them.

Sharp Eyes, who was apparently on his way to visit his sister and his niece, then came in upon them as they were fighting, and not only defended his sister and niece, but killed a Nan Zhao guard while they were at it. Hiccup gulped at this and wondered how close he had come to being killed by this man.

They then found the black jade bandit outfits that the women had worn, and not only that, they brought forward letters that were sent in between the women, Sharp Eyes, and a man named Jong Bing Jun who was under the command of Hui Bao Li, the enemy of Nan Zhao nation.

As the knowledge of the extent of the treachery came forward, people gasped, and Hiccup realized how close he had come to being on the war front unprepared.

Lady Jue sighed as she heard this. "This is clearly a matter of state now," she murmured softly, though everyone heard her. "A trial we may have here, but the Empress and Emperor will need to be informed of all this as well as soon as the trial is over."

Suddenly, there was a disturbance in the back of the crowd and as Hiccup looked back he saw the crowd parting and soldiers coming through. Hiccup noticed that they had the Nan Zhao logo on them, so they were not enemies.

But what was even more curious was the reaction of Ying Hau, who, spotting them first, immediately whispered something into her mistress's ears, who looked up and saw them. Now, all of a sudden, they seemed panicked and rushed.

Glancing at her maid, she announced rather rushed, "I'm afraid I don't have authority and that while I can declare them guilty, and I do so, I cannot sentence them. Your new judge must!"

With that, to the confusion of the crowd, she immediately got up and she and her maid made a run for it.

Hiccup stared at their retreating forms, his dragon cooing in confusion. 'Well,' he thought. 'That was odd.' Then he turned to Toothless. "Hey bud," he asked. "Do you still want to accept that job offer?"

Toothless cooed in response.

(A few minutes later)

(Hiccup Point of View)

While the bandits' fate was probably hanging, as far as Hiccup was aware, due to the laws of Nan Zhao, Hiccup only knew that they would be punished. And that was good enough for him, and a good enough closure for him. Right now the boy and his dragon were more concerned about catching up with an apparently fleeing Lady Jue and Ying Hau, a very big mystery to him. So they were hiding something! Why else leave when soldiers of your nation come? But he had to admit, they were fast packers as they left the inn before he did.

Hiccup had packed in record time, but then again he had had very little begin with, having acquired very little while he was here in Nan Zhao nation and having only arrived with the clothes on his back. He was riding Toothless, the dragon easily carrying the boy and the boy's few possessions, and the incomplete tail that didn't work yet, they traveling on land in record time because of that. He could finish the tail's completions later when there was time after they caught up with them.

In the distance, they were able to spot them. The two of them turned around, and when they saw Hiccup, Lady Jue's eyes widened, and they immediately dropped the luggage they were carrying, and ran faster, disappearing out of their sight once again. Toothless groaned and Hiccup called out, "Wait!"

All of a sudden, they were alone, running, and when they reached the place where the women had dropped their belongings, Toothless lowered his nose to sniff at it.

Suddenly, two people flicked out of nowhere and Hiccup found himself pinned against a tree helpless, a knife to his throat, staring right into the eyes of Lady Jue. Apparently they had _**not**_ fled when they saw him.

As Hiccup glanced around her shoulder he saw that Toothless was unharmed, but was on the contrary quite calm, enjoying a scratch behind the ears from Ying Hau.

Hiccup's attention turned back to Lady Jue as she demanded, "_**Why are you stalking us**_?!"

"Easy," Hiccup thought he heard Ying Hau tell the Lady and as the servant folded her arms, staring demandingly at Hiccup, the Lady calmed down at the same time, taking the knife away from his throat and backing up slowly in suspicion of him.

Hiccup, heart beating rapidly, closed his eyes for a moment to gain his composure. "You saved my life," he admitted, still curious to know why. Then he carefully countered, not wanting to anger the Lady, "Why are you running?"

The woman immediately stiffened, but instead of her answering her servant replied, "It's none of your business." Though she did seem to be taking the situation carefully as well.

Hiccup looked at his dragon who suddenly began nudging Ying Hau for more attention and she gave it willingly. "Well," Hiccup whispered softly, trying to find a way in so that he could travel with them. "You did offer me a job once. Is that offer still open?"

Lady Jue's eyes widened upon remembrance and as she turned to her servant, Ying Hau shrugged, a quiet, nonverbal conversation going on between them. Lady Jue turned back to Hiccup. "Well you were offered one, weren't you? So why not?"

"Then I have a job?" Hiccup tried to verify. The last thing he needed was to travel with them unemployed, especially since he needed money to get home.

"Of course!" Ying Hau answered him, and the women picked up their luggage.

"Chop, chop!" Lady Jue encouraged them. "We don't want to be late to our next destination!"

'Late?' Hiccup thought. 'We're traveling. How could we be late?'

And with that the boy and dragon followed the two women, a curious look on Hiccup's face. 'Who are you, really?' he thought.

**That is all for now.**

**Please read and review! Please and thank you!**

**Firestar'sniece**


	6. Chapter 6: Running

**I don't own How to Train Your Dragon or Chinese Paladin I or III.**

**Also note: Nan Zhao really _IS_ or rather_ WAS_ a real country. I believe it existed before the empires in that region were unified. Some of the land that was once the country of Nan Zhao is now in the present country of China.**

**Of course, there's no such thing as the Immortal realms...**

**Aw, that's too bad!**

Chapter Six: Running

(Weeks Later)

(Hiccup Point of View)

Their travels seemed to have exhausted Hiccup to his limit, and while Toothless seemed completely comfortable with these people, the Nan Zhao guard that kept pursuing them and that Lady Ming Jue and Ying Hau wanted to avoid seemed to become more and more obvious each time. While Toothless didn't seem to have a problem with it, Hiccup did. And then the fact that Ying Hau seemed to be able to hold a conversation with Toothless, and yet neither of them were saying anything, this too perked Hiccup's curiosity.

"You're hiding something," Hiccup accused Lady Jue one day as they were sitting by the fire, Ying Hau playing the Chinese flute. She stopped and faced him when he said this, her face going expressionless. "I know that you both are. Else why are we evading the Nan Zhao soldiers?" he gently accused, hoping that what he implied would get a reaction out of them. Then, just maybe, he could figure out what was going on.

Lady Ming narrowed her eyes. "And what makes you think that the guards are after _**US**_ exactly?" Her ornaments swung around as she turned to face him and her eyes challenged him back. Ying Hau continued to remain expressionless. But when a flicker of emotion did come across her face Hiccup caught it, and it was _**amusement**_. Then it was gone and was replaced by that poker face.

"Well," Hiccup began and Toothless groaned in annoyance, completely relaxed with the other travelers. "Every time we're in an area and they show up, you seem to want to leave suddenly," he began, ticking the items off of his finger. "You travel anonymously. Even though you are a lady, you don't seem to want people to know when we're staying at hotels, let alone where we're staying. You only have one servant with you, instead of the entourage that I've seen other noble women have here trailing them," he added when he remembered glimpsing another Lady that lived in another city. He remembered being impressed by the train of people that followed to attend her. Then he began ticking them off again. "You stay off the main roads and take the back roads, leading us into the wild. I mean, what noble person does that? You should be in a palanquin!"

Ying Hau seemed to snicker at this. "That's only for royalty!" she pointed out.

"So?" Hiccup talked back, rather forcefully. "How do I know that you're not fugitives or something?"

At this, Lady Jue snorted. "Don't be ridiculous!" she pointed out. "Why would a fugitive save your life?"

"Then what are you?" Hiccup challenged back, and for once Lady Jue opened her mouth and couldn't answer. Ying Hau on the other hand didn't seem affected by it. She seemed amused if anything, but not surprised. "What are you?" Hiccup challenged back and Lady Jue looked away.

"That's what I thought," Hiccup murmured. "And the last thing I need is to be caught in trouble as an accomplice of some sorts."

Ying Hau's expression immediately softened. "Hiccup," she began, but the boy looked away, refusing to look at the serving girl. "It's not your business, so please stay out of it," she gently reprimanded him.

"Is it?" Hiccup challenged. "Then how is it that you can talk to Toothless? What are we running away from? Why did you hire me to be your inventor?"

"That was more for your sake than ours," Ying Hau gently told him, trying to soothe him gently.

Suddenly Hiccup felt tears coming on and he couldn't stand it anymore. "Then why won't you tell me what you know?!" he demanded. "Will you continue to lie to me?"

"Hiccup," the girl gently began again, placing the flute down. "We have many reasons for not telling you, but I assure you that none of the reasons are intended to bring you harm. In fact, I promise, or rather we promise that we will never do anything to purposefully harm you."

Hiccup looked away, in anguish and somewhat bitter. "But you never promised not to lie to me," he pointed out. "That's what I want, a promise of complete honesty."

But Ying Hau shook her head. "We cannot give you that. What we keep from you, we keep for a reason. We just need you to trust us."

"Trust?" Hiccup burst out incredulously, having reached his limit for once, which was really rare for him. "Trust?" he got up and paced, screeching the word again. Here he was, trapped in a foreign place against his will, confused because he felt it was home, in fact more home than Berk ever was, which was odd. He had never been here before had he? And these feelings only kept growing. And Ying Hau, there was something about her that he couldn't name. A... connection? But as he looked back and at the girl's expression, she seemed to understand and know what was going on, but refused to say anything. "I'm only traveling with you because Toothless wants too!" he pointed out, facing Ying Hau this time. "He seems to trust you, and specifically you!"

Ying Hau let her emotions show, not using the poker face, and Hiccup could see compassion, understanding, and acceptance, like she knew what was going on. "Toothless does trust me," the girl finally admitted.

"Why?" Hiccup asked bitterly. "He barely met you!"

"And I daresay that you will find out eventually," the girl admitted bitterly, then relaxed and sighed. Then she seemed to change the subject briefly. "Why is it you couldn't kill Toothless and Toothless couldn't kill you when you first met him?" she questioned him.

This caught him off guard. Astrid had once asked a similar question, though as he looked at the girl she seemed to be asking it for a completely different reason.

"I-I don't know," Hiccup stuttered, caught off guard and confused. "I could see his fear. It was like mine. He was like me."

"See it, or feel it?" Ying Hau questioned again, and Hiccup took a sharp breath in, remembering that day. He remembered feeling the dragon's fear, but he thought it was only because he understood what fear felt like, and that was Toothless's expression. He explained to Astrid that he saw that dragon's fear, and while that was true, he remembered feeling the fear to. Could it be that he had been connected to Toothless somehow? While it was odd, and it had only happened that once, he had never really thought on it as curiosity replaced what he had experienced in the days afterwords.

"Well?" Ying Hau challenged again and Hiccup looked away.

"I-I'm confused," the boy admitted, turning back to Ying Hau. "And how is this related anyways?" he sharply asked her back, and Toothless growled slightly at him, and Hiccup felt like the dragon was telling him to mind his manners around her.

"You get along with your dragon like no other, in fact you get along with all dragons. But especially Toothless. Don't you find it odd that no one else quite has that gift?" Ying Hau explained.

Hiccup shook his head, confused. He thought he just had a natural talent, but then again, before he had always had troubles killing dragons. He never seemed to be in a place where he could kill them. It was almost like fate was against him then. But then again he had a different destiny. He was destined to end the war, and perhaps more?

"You are odd, Hiccup, even amongst your people," explained Ying Hau. "But you are meant to be that way. You ask why I can talk to Toothless," and Hiccup knew that she caught his surprise at her admission. Even Hiccup had doubted that she would confess what he had noticed. "Well, it is the same reason that you could not kill him neither he you when you two first met. You and he are bound to the earth, as am I, though in a different way, and mine is more natural. Though even then I don't know that for me it would be called 'bound to the earth'."

Hiccup's eyes widened. Bound to the earth, what was that? And why did he feel as if he had heard that expression before? Now he had more questions than anything.

"I...I don't understand..." he admitted, confused more.

But Ying Hau shook her head. "Not now. Not yet, anyways. And your powers haven't even come to full fruition yet." At this, Hiccup's eyes widened. 'Powers?' he thought. 'Could that be the powers the man who had kidnapped me had talked about?' "They only peaked," she admitted. "Because Toothless was threatened. Then they lay dormant again. They're not supposed to emerge until you are twenty-one years old."

Hiccup stumbled and sat around, trying to understand everything he had been told. "I-I don't get it," he admitted, mumbling to himself. "I don't get it." This time Ying Hau ignored him.

Suddenly, Lady Jue challenged him back. "How is it that you have survived this long in the immortal realms?" she questioned and Hiccup's head immediately perked up. How had he? "You should be dead by now," she added immediately before anything could be done, but suddenly Ying Hau sharply turned to her and shook her head discouragingly, which Hiccup thought odd. Lady Jue was immediately silenced by her maid.

"But you know," Hiccup said, noticing the reaction, and finding it odd what the servant did.

"Not now," Ying Hau whispered, worriedly. But as Hiccup looked at Toothless, he saw that the dragon's head was now perked in confusion. He warbled at the servant and she shook her head, refusing to answer.

Both Hiccup and Toothless decided to drop it. They weren't going to get anywhere with the subject tonight. "I guess I will have to travel with you," he admitted. "After all, you seem to know the nation of Nan Zhao like no other," he murmured softly and couldn't help but see the smile on Ying Hau's face that was almost a smirk. "I just want to go home," he admitted, and he couldn't help but notice that Toothless looked at Lady Jue and Ying Hau with complete faith at this, almost as if they were their way home. 'Then I can't have all the facts if I travel with them,' he sighed in thought.

Curling up on the ground, Hiccup tried to get some sleep. Upon noticing, Ying Hau tossed him a blanket, and Hiccup's own dragon walked over and curled up beside him, giving him warmth.

By the time the fire died out, they were all well fast asleep.

(Over the course of time)

(Hiccup Point of View)

The next few weeks went by surprisingly fast. During one time, Ying Hau questioned about Hiccup's prosthetic leg and Toothless's tail. When Hiccup reluctantly told her, she seemed to be understanding.

Interestingly enough, the next day, she called Hiccup to her and told him to settle down.

"Why?" he questioned the young serving girl, but she merely smiled and sat down. Hiccup sat down to, on the blanket she had laid out for him, but she motioned him to lay down. "Why?" he asked her again, but complied.

She didn't answer, but merely took his prosthetic leg. Then, waving her hands around, a familiar purple aura covering her, and for a little moment Hiccup was nervous. "This is chi-power," Ying Hau explained, and Hiccup's mind reverted to the day he was kidnapped, and what the warriors were capable of.

Suddenly, bringing the power down on his leg, below his knee where it was cut off, Hiccup screeched at the sudden pain that emerged. But, almost as quickly as it came it went and a tingling expression replaced it. He watched in awe at what was happening.

It happened in slow motion. As the girl concentrated, her eyes closed, her hands moving back and forth above the space where his leg should have been, the skin began to lengthen. Then, something solid seemed to form underneath and Hiccup could feel his bones regrowing. She was giving him his leg back!

Toothless cooed, having noticed his rider, and he bounded up to the boy, settling beside him. "Hey, bud," Hiccup greeted through gritted teeth as the pain began returning from the bones, muscles, and sinews that were regrowing. His eyes were closed, trying to cope with the pain. But as he opened them briefly he caught a brief glimpse at Toothless's newly reformed tail fin and realized that his dragon had been healed. His dragon had been healed! He could fly on his own again! No more prosthetic fin!

Suddenly the boy yowled in pain again and Toothless wined, then began licking his rider's face to comfort him in this process.

"Can it be any less painful?" Hiccup lightly said, trying to keep the mood light as he himself began feeling lightheaded, eyes still closed. He was close to passing out from the pain.

"Sorry, no," came the gentle voice of Ying Hau.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, bud. If only I had known," Hiccup muttered aloud trying to concentrate and remain awake.

"Don't worry," came Lady Jue's voice. "He didn't mind."

"Actually he told us that he didn't want you there, because he was afraid you'd get really worried," Ying Hau admitted. "He asked Lady Jue to distract you so that I could do this without you bothering us by getting all worked up."

At this, despite the pain, Hiccup opened his eyes, now having a migraine from the sun due to the pain he was in. As he looked down he saw that his ankle was formed and that Ying Hau was almost done with him. "I wouldn't have gotten worked up!" he defended himself at which Ying Hau raised her eyebrows, opening her eyes briefly. Lady Jue was sitting near Hiccup's head, watching it all, keeping his dragon company.

"Would you?" Ying Hau challenged without stopping, though progress seemed to slow down even though it kept going, as a result of her loss of concentration Hiccup assumed. "You don't trust us and if your dragon was screeching, wouldn't you have assumed that we were trying to kill him or harm him or something like that?"

At this Hiccup had no answer. Would he have? It was right then that Hiccup had realized that Ying Hau was right. He would have gotten really defensive of Toothless at that point and wouldn't have taken to kindly to them to give them time to explain what they were doing with him. It was then he realized how well they actually knew him, including how he'd react.

"That's what I thought," Ying Hau murmured and got back to concentrating, the healing process speeding up immediately as she concentrated. Hiccup gritted his teeth in pain more and Toothless once more compassionately licked Hiccup's face to calm the poor boy down.

By the time they were done with him Hiccup was panting from the pain. But when he looked down, his leg and foot fully formed he had tears of gratitude in his eyes. "Th-thank you!" he stuttered out, the pain of regrowth still fresh.

Ying Hau merely smiled, glad that he liked his newly regrown limb. "Get some rest," she assured him. "We won't leave until you're ready to, not unless we have to, at least," she murmured the last part and shot an unusual glance at Lady Jue which the Lady returned. At this, Hiccup had a guess of what she was talking about, the Nan Zhao guards that for some reason were trailing them. He had guessed by now that Ying Hau and Lady Jue could have lost them easily if they wanted to, but why they didn't when they seemed to more than have the power to, Hiccup didn't know. But as Hiccup looked at Ying Hau and Lady Jue, Hiccup noticed that Ying Hau looked tired, and not just from the healing. It was like she, like they, were tired of running from them. But Ying Hau especially.

"You'll need to relearn how to walk too," Lady Jue added gently and Hiccup merely nodded, curling in a ball to get some sleep. Toothless lay beside him and gently cooed so that his rider could get some rest.

"Good night, Toothless," Hiccup groggily moaned even though it was full daylight.

And for a split second Hiccup thought he heard an unfamiliar voice, but with a familiar tone.

"Good night, Hiccup."

(The next day)

(Hiccup Point of View)

Learning to walk again was a frustration, just as much as it was a frustration for Toothless to learn to fly again. The poor dragon was used to having the boy use the prosthetic fin to help him in his flight, and now the dragon was having to use his own tail fin, which had not quite developed the muscle yet, to keep himself and maneuver himself in the air.

Just as the boy was trying to walk, the dragon would try to fly, often plummeting to the ground. But, thankfully, both were always saved by the purple chi-power that both the women would use to cushion them before they actually reached the ground. They never did hurt themselves.

And they were learning while they were traveling, and running away from the Nan Zhao soldiers.

It was a pain for both of them to learn, but they were both glad to have something they enjoyed back. It was nice to be whole once again.

"Why do we keep doing this?" Hiccup complained the last time they had escaped the Nan Zhao guard, who began chasing them, and Hiccup had to leap on his dragon (Toothless let him) just to get away in time, the dragon running fast on the ground. He admitted, the frustration on the faces of the Nan Zhao guard as they ran away faster than the Nan Zhao guards could run, before the boy caught up and told the two women what he had found as he was gathering firewood, was amusing. But then they had only seemed alarmed, and the camp, newly set up, was quickly disbanded by Ying Hau, as she waved her hands around and everything was sucked into a tiny bottle that she had.

"Let's go!" she had ordered, and they all were running, _**again**_.

"Why!" Hiccup shouted, and for once he noticed the torn look on Lady Jue and Ying Hau's faces. It was almost like they wanted to be caught, and yet they didn't want to be. What was up with that? Couldn't the girls decide what they wanted?

But to his frustration, they had never answered him, leaving him and his dragon to follow, Toothless doing so eagerly.

They hadn't been in any hotels for a long time. They hadn't even traveled _**towards**_ a city for a very long time. What was with that? Wasn't the noble Lady Jue tired? Didn't she want a _**bath**_? Some sort of respite from traveling? Some sort of civilization? What sort of noble woman was she? Even Hiccup wanted a respite and a bath!

Hiccup sighed when they didn't answer. Instead they _**ran**_. 'Whoop-de-doo!' he thought to himself sarcastically. 'Big surprise!' Then, as if Toothless could hear his thoughts, the dragon whacked him with his ear. "Hey!" Hiccup protested and he thought he heard the dragon chuckle as it ran.

It wasn't long before they caught up with them. "Okay," Lady Jue announced, glancing at her servant, stopping briefly. "Change of plans. No more flying, for now."

"What!" Hiccup protested. Both of them had left their prosthetics behind, they no longer needed, both disintegrated at the request of the girls, but both of them still loved flying! Toothless's ears perked up, attentive and alert, but disappointed.

Ying Hau, upon seeing Toothless's expression reassured him, "Don't worry, it's not forever. Besides, aren't your muscles sore? Don't you want a break?"

Toothless shook his head, then seemingly mumbled and growled. But upon realizing who he was doing it to, a guilty look immediately entered his face. But Ying Hau merely giggled in amusement and the dragon relaxed.

"Why can't Toothless fly?" a confused Hiccup asked. While he hadn't been able to ride his dragon in flight due to the fact that Toothless was relearning and couldn't sustain both of them in flight yet, but could sustain himself for only a little bit, he didn't understand why his dragon's relearning had to be delayed. His dragon was relearning fast, as it was! Even Hiccup was relearning how to use his new leg fast! Why should they be delayed? And what was worse was that Toothless took it without questioning.

"Because they can see you and trail you in the air," Lady Jue firmly replied, ending the subject. "It is easier to lose them on land amongst the trees, than wide open in the air."

Hiccup nodded, sighing, realizing that that was all he would get from them more then likely. "All right," he grumbled, and to his surprise his dragon didn't whack him for this reaction, merely glanced back at the rider on his back, understanding in his eyes.

They continued walking again, this time a faster pace, and the boy followed, not sure what to do. But his dragon did, so Hiccup let him take the lead. Toothless was carrying all their equipment, besides, so if he decided to go another direction and Toothless kept following the girls, Hiccup would lose all of his equipment.

Well, all of their equipment minus the disintegrated prosthetics. Who knows where the ashes of those had been scattered?

And so they followed, Hiccup not entirely sure where they were going. They were certainly going further into the wild, that was for sure.

And it was during these days that Hiccup had noticed another unusual thing about the company of these women. Wasn't the Immortal realms supposed to be dangerous? And yet, since leaving Tonghai, Hiccup had not encountered anything dangerous. In the cities, when he had left these women, he had come close to danger several times, but not when traveling with them. In fact, all the creatures they had ever come across had always been harmless and innocent.

Even when they had come across a big cat that they later told him was a tiger, it had never attacked him. It had even come up to Ying Hau and let her pet it!

That evening, as they were sitting by the fireside Hiccup decided to bring it up. "You know," he murmured softly. "I was told that the Immortal realms is dangerous."

"It is," Ying Hau admitted, seemingly guessing where he was going with this.

Hiccup looked up at her. Toothless, who was laying down, perked up his ears, and upon looking at Hiccup, looked at the young serving girl, his eyes expectant and curious.

Hiccup sighed before questioning her again. "Then why is it that I haven't really encountered danger here? Even the old judge was confused at that. And when I travel with you, danger is even less. Though," he thought back to the big brute guy that he had encountered in the city. Something had seemed... off about him. He had only accidentally bumped into the man! The man had a mustache and was really muscular and had chased him all over the city, that was until Hiccup had been back under the wing of Lady Jue and Ying Hau again. Then, all of a sudden, the man couldn't seem to find him any more. At that, Lady Jue had given the boy a cloak to wear, and the boy obliged. They had then proceeded to walk right past the man, and Hiccup was nervous. But the man hadn't seem to have known they were there, and Hiccup assumed it was Lady Jue and Ying Hau's presence. Perhaps it was the same reason Dong Guo's hotel was never attacked?

"Though," he continued again after his thoughts. "When I'm away from you, the Immortal realms seem more dangerous, but not by that much. It's like... only when I'm right next to danger, then they notice me."

He stared at the girls in confusion and to his surprise they seemed amused. But he noticed that his dragon was gazing in confusion to.

"And that is correct," the lady admitted.

"And why is that?" Hiccup asked, his dragon getting up and sitting on his hind legs, staring at the women.

Ying Hau shrugged, even though she obviously knew. But the lady, instead, merely posed a different question, as if trying to get the boy to think. The dragon warbled in confusion at this. "Why didn't danger notice you when you first came here?" she asked him.

Hiccup shook his head, confused. Wasn't this the same question he had asked of her?

But she went on. "Why, when any from the mortal realm should have died, and been noticed, has danger not followed you, you who are of the mortal realms? Why hasn't it followed your mortal dragon? Why have the _**two**_ of you been the rare exception to the rule and have been set apart from it?"

Hiccup had to note the implications from her question. She was saying that they were different? "Does this have to do with the same reason Toothless and I seem more bonded than everyone else and their dragons?" he carefully asked, wanting an answer.

Lady Jue merely shrugged. "Perhaps. But more likely it is indirectly related."

"I don't understand," the boy admitted.

But the Lady wouldn't answer him. "Both of you went unnoticed," Ying Hau pointed out. "It isn't you, Hiccup. It's both of you."

"But why?" Hiccup wanted to know, his frustration building again. When would they ever be straight up and honest with him! "Is it because Toothless and I are bound to the earth?" he asked, remembering their previous conversation.

Ying Hau opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again, as if rethinking answering his question. When Toothless and Hiccup both looked desperately at her she sighed, finally giving in somewhat. "No," she admitted. "Though it is indirectly related to why."

"Why then?" Hiccup asked, and Toothless gave Ying Hau a pitiful look that she couldn't resist. She smiled at it somewhat as Toothless practically begged her for an answer.

"All right!" she sighed. "Danger doesn't follow us if they can't notice me!" she admitted.

"Why?" Hiccup asked again.

But this time Ying Hau gave a curious smile. "You could say that I am a fairy," she cryptically responded, and Toothless seemed to immediately know what was going on, though Hiccup remained confused. It was almost as if it was an inside joke that Toothless seemed to get due to having a previous knowledge of things.

Hiccup glanced at Toothless and then back at Ying Hau. "Fairy?" he asked in confusion. But when Ying Hau didn't reply he looked at the Lady.

"Don't look at me!" Lady Jue responded. "I'm not the fairy!"

"Fairy?" Hiccup questioned again. That term sounded familiar. But he also knew that it wasn't used in the terms that the Vikings would associate with. For a moment a vision flashed before his eyes and he was somewhere else, somewhere similar to here, but it looked like Berk. But the buildings were like what they had here in the immortal realms. There was a girl there, beautiful green, narrow eyes, lovely features, but the vision was faded and he couldn't see her clearly. But he felt like he was back on Berk in this vision.

"When do you think fairy-sister will arrive again?" she seemed to ask him in an unusual language, but for some reason Hiccup understood it.

And to Hiccup's surprise he felt himself responding. "I don't know, meimei! I can't read her mind!"

"I miss jiejie!" the girl sighed. Then the vision was over.

Hiccup blinked. How long had he been fazed out for? Toothless was looking at him curiously, and glancing back at the girls. But Ying Hau seemed understanding and surprised, almost like she knew what was going on, or she had guessed what was going on.

"Jiejie," Hiccup repeated the words, the sounds coming off his lips. His eyes widened in realization as he put two and two together. While it sounded different in his dream, if he pronounced it in the Nan Zhao way it was one and the same thing. "Jiejie?" he questioned in understanding, translating it into Nan Zhao, and then into Viking which he hadn't spoken in a long while, an accent very noticeable in his voice. "Elder sister?"

Ying Hau tilted her head at this, and the Lady looked at her in confusion.

But Hiccup kept thinking, translating the other term. "Meimei... younger sister..."

He looked up at Ying Hau and couldn't help but wonder if the girl in his vision had been talking about her. "But how... you're not my sister... you never were..."

"But jiejie is also a term of respect," Ying Hau whispered and Hiccup's eyes widened as he realized further. Another vision came, this time from a little while later of the previous vision.

_'Gogo, when shall we see fairy-sister again?'_

_ 'I don't know, meimei! Why don't you tell me?'_

_ 'You're the one who knows fairy-sister the best!'_

_ 'But I can't read minds, meme!'_

_ 'I miss fairy-sister. I miss jiejie!'_

Jiejie, a term of respect for her. And fairy. That term to was familiar. No, the boy and girl in the vision weren't related to the fairy.

But as Hiccup lay down to go to sleep he remembered something else.

The fairy was someone honored and special.

(Later that night)

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup had woken up soon later, the fire getting smaller and colder. Where had the vision come from? And yet it seemed completely natural.

"Fairy," he murmured softly, turning on his side. A ways away his dragon was curled up, sleeping. "What does fairy mean?"

He sighed as he got up, then began walking around. His thoughts were running too much for him to be able to sleep. He simply had a lot on his mind. But as he looked he saw that the fire wasn't going to last much longer.

Soon, Lady Jue woke up and noticed the same thing. "We'd best go get some fire wood before the fire runs out," she murmured.

Hiccup nodded and the two of them set out, carefully stepping so as not to wake Toothless and Ying Hau up.

By now Hiccup was used to the noblewoman working beside them, much like how things had been for the nobles and royals on Berk. As he glanced at her he saw that she had a lot already, and as he was a Viking and was supposed to set a better example of true work, he was desperate suddenly to find more firewood than her.

Lady Jue seemed to notice and smiled in amusement. "What," she softly teased him. "Is it a competition all of a sudden?"

"What, between Viking and noble Nan Zhao lady? Yes!" Hiccup amusingly responded, for once enjoying himself.

"Viking, relative," the lady unusually responded, and Hiccup was about to ask her what she meant, but upon seeing the look on her face he realized that she wouldn't have answered him.

Suddenly, Hiccup's thoughts drifted back to the previous few hours and the strange vision he had. He stopped suddenly and turned to her. "Can I ask you something?" he carefully questioned her.

The lady stopped to and turned to him, a careful look on her face. "Perhaps," she carefully responded. "I guess."

Hiccup took a deep breath in and let it out, trying to relax himself and his thoughts. "Yesterday I had a vision of something," he admitted. "And I don't entirely understand it."  
Lady Jue's eyes widened in understanding. So she did know something. "You know what I'm talking about," Hiccup accused.

Lady Jue nodded her head. "I do," she admitted. "But I'm not allowed to say anything - yet anyways. When the time is right, you will know."

"But why not now?" Hiccup questioned. "Why is everything here so familiar?"

"Maybe that's because you're not a Viking," Lady Jue carefully ventured, and Hiccup merely turned to her in confusion.

"But I was born on Berk! I am a Viking!"

"Born on Berk, yes," Lady Jue continued further. "But despite being the child of Stoick the Vast and Valhallarma the great, that does not make you a Viking."

Hiccup's eyes widened that she knew his parents names and their titles. But what else did she know? And what did she mean that it didn't make him a Viking.

Lady Jue smiled at him softly. "I know you won't understand what I mean, and I know that it won't make sense, but you are _**more**_ than a Viking. And I wasn't even supposed to tell you that," she admitted at the end.

"Why?" Hiccup asked.

But the lady merely shrugged her shoulders. "Why do you ask? You got somewhat of what you wanted. Shouldn't you be grateful?"

Hiccup stopped. "I-I didn't mean it that way! I am grateful! Truly! But I'm frustrated with all the secrets about everything too!"

Lady Jue eyed him compassionately. "I would be to," she admitted.

They continued in silence picking up firewood and tinder for a good fifteen minutes before they decided to head back. They had journeyed a little ways away so as not to wake anyone, but as they were walking back, a shadow flitted in the night.

Suddenly, Lady Jue gasped and they were surrounded. There were at least a dozen Nan Zhao soldiers in a circle around them, and every single one of them had their swords pointed at them.

'Oh, no!' Hiccup thought, mortified as he remembered the incident in Tonghai where he had been framed.

The leader stepped forward into the circle and pointed an accusing finger at Lady Jue. His face was one of pure outrage. He was thin, mustache on his face, and his hair long and up in a pin. Though it was dark and Hiccup couldn't see clearly, he could see the outline of the long flowing robes, and the shoulder pads that all the soldiers, including the leader wore. "You!" he yelled at her. "You! What do you think you're doing! And why are you wearing the clothes of a noble!"

Hiccup gasped. She wasn't a noble after all! "You just a serving girl!" he accused and Hiccup felt himself blushing. What was going on!

Suddenly the man rounded on Hiccup and the boy flinched on fear. Confusion and recognition seemed to be on the man's face but then it was quickly dispelled by anger. "And you, boy! Why do you help her?!"

"I-I-uh!" Hiccup stuttered not sure what to make of the situation.

"He doesn't know anything!" the fake Lady Jue stepped up to his defense only to straighten when the man yelled, "Silence!"

Hiccup flinched at the man's tone, then admitted in a small voice, "I don't know anything!"

"Sure!" the man sneered. "Not only have you violated several laws by running from us, but you and your accomplice have the nerves to speak boldly in front of a general!"

Hiccup's eyes widened immediately. He was a general? 'I am so dead!' Hiccup thought.

The man stepped forward and shook the poor boy. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!" the man yelled at him and Hiccup shook in fear.

"Enough!" a voice suddenly sounded and the general immediately stepped back, upon hearing the voice. He turned around slowly and when he saw Ying Hau, Hiccup noticed the man immediately begin to shake in fear. "Just what do you think you're doing with them?" Ying Hau demanded, complete authority in her voice. "Leave them alone and out of this!"

Shaking, frozen in fear, the man shook his head to clear his thoughts, and suddenly everyone dropped their weapons, bowing to the girl. Hiccup could see Toothless in the distance, but he was immediately distracted from the dragon when he noticed everyone bowing, even the fake lady Jue. Thinking better than to cause trouble and question things, and not wanting to get in trouble, Hiccup and the dragon immediately followed suit, bowing to the girl, knees on the ground, one hand punching the ground, looking down at the ground.

"Your highness!" the general greeted her, and Hiccup immediately looked up, which Hiccup didn't know was taboo. 'Highness?' he thought. 'Like royalty?' "This general and his officers greets Her Imperial Highness, First Princess of the nation of Nan Zhao!"

At this the girl stood tall, almost proud. "Get up," she commanded, the authority in her voice clearer. At this everyone arose.

Ying Hau immediately walked closer and looked straight in the general's eyes. "And tell me now, what were you doing with them? You do realize that that boy is First Prince of a foreign nation?"

At this the general's eyes widened, and he immediately bowed to Hiccup, Hiccup face palming in embarrassment. Now he was going to get royal treatment, and he didn't know if he wanted it.

"Your highness!" the general greeted. "Forgive me! I did not know!"

To Hiccup's surprise, the general remained there, and all the officers, bowing in the same manner to him. Hiccup looked at whom he now knew was the princess, not sure what to do. She raised her eyebrows and flicked her eyes from the general back to Hiccup. Then, her voice was heard in his mind. 'He's going to remain there until you order him to stand up.'

'Me?' Hiccup questioned back, wondering if she would hear him. But at her expression he knew that she did. 'Why should I do anything? He's you're general! You call him!'

'Actually, he's not my general. He's my mothers. But because he is bowing to you, it is not for me to call him up.'

Hiccup sighed as she broke the connection and he noticed Toothless staring at him, waiting to see what he would do. The general was still knelt before him, completely disciplined, and Hiccup was embarrassed with what he had to do, nervous. "Um, up!" he commanded timidly, his voice nervous. No viking leader had ever had to do this before, and here he, a prince, was doing this!

To his surprise, the general obeyed, and after acknowledging him, the general informed the girl, "The descendants of Nuwa are getting worried. War is on the horizon! And here a princess of Nan Zhao wanders around like there is nothing wrong!"

"Descendants of Nuwa?" Hiccup questioned a neighboring soldier, trying to find out what was going on. To his surprise, the soldier was completely submissive to him, answering his question like the boy had authority over him.

"The descendants of Nuwa are the descendants of the Goddess Nuwa, actually the descendants of the God Fu Xi and the Goddess Nuwa. They are also Goddesses. Goddess Nuwa was a half snake, half human goddess, and the God Fu Xi was a half dragon, half human god therefore the descendants of Nuwa are immortal half snake, half human, half dragon, half human earth and marriage goddesses. Thus the descendants of Nuwa are goddesses themselves. In fact, they are a long line of goddesses. They are just as powerful as Fu Xi and Nuwa combined, and are called after Nuwa because the powers are feminine in nature. They are very powerful, in fact there is only one other group that can match their power," he explained, then continued further. "There is a mortal descendant of Nuwa line, but they are rare. The vast majority of them are immortal."

Hiccup nodded, and to his surprise, the general and princess had moved further away. When the general returned he nodded to one of his men who pulled out a scroll and read to the girl, "We are here under orders of the Emperor and Empress to bring Her Imperial Highness, First Princess of Nan Zhao nation home. Under orders of their Imperial Majesties themselves."

The girl nodded and then sighed. "I knew this was coming eventually," she muttered under her breath and Hiccup's eyes widened in realization.

"Wait!" Hiccup protested, holding his fingers up, and walking forward to the girl. "So you're telling me _**now**_ that you're a _**runaway princess**_?"

The sixteen-year-old-looking girl turned and faced him a smile on her face. "I don't believe I've been introduced to you before, young prince!" she smiled. "And by the way," she added. "You are royalty. You do _**not**_ kneel to me!" she gently corrected him. "It is not meet for one leader or royalty from one nation to kneel to another royal or imperial or leader of another nation, but especially the royals and imperials!"

At this the general seemed to catch on and stepped forward. "Your highness," he greeted Hiccup, bowing slightly. "May I introduce you to Her Imperial Highness, First Princess of the twenty-first nation of the twenty-second realm of Nan Zhao, First Princess Zhao Sang, Descendant of Nuwa!"

Hiccup's eyes widened even more. She? Descendant of Nuwa? She was an immortal goddess?

Zhao Sang stood proudly in front of him and it was there that Hiccup remembered what the word fairy meant.

It meant immortal.

**Author's note: Fariy in Chinese has a different meaning. More specifically, a fairy is an immortal female with powers.**

**Also note of Chinese terms: Jiejie means elder sister, meimei means younger sister, gogo is elder brother, and didi is younger brother (I think I spelled them right). It's what I noticed when watching various Chinese TV shows, anyways. That's how they've spelled them.**

**Also note: I noticed that sometimes, as a form of respect, an individual would refer to someone they were close to but not related with the term used for elder sibling. For example, Linger called her husband Li Xiao Yao gogo, and Yu Xiao Xue would call Taba Yu'er Jie Jie, even though they were not related.**

**Please read and review!**

**Firestar'sniece**


	7. Chapter 7: The Descendant of Nuwa

**I don't own How to Train Your Dragon, Chinese Paladin I or Chinese Paladin III.**

**Note:A Chinese Paladin I and Chinese Paladin III AU for those who have seen the series. **

**If you haven't, don't worry. You won't need to have to understand this chapter.**

**That, and this chapter was actually supposed to be part of the last chapter, at least that is how I planned it. But there was simply too much so I put more of it here, intending this to be the rest of it. But then it grew too long so the rest of what I had planned to be originally chapter six will be continued in chapter eight and will hopefully end there. Wow, three chapters out of that one chapter idea! That's a treat for all of you! That means that this novel has been officially lengthened out extra chapters!**

**And this chapter was 21 pages in open office! Wow! **

**Not that I'm trying to boast or anything...**

**Anyways...**

**Please read and review! **

**And pretty, pretty please on the reviews!**

Chapter Seven: The Descendant of Nuwa

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup sighed and sat down next to the fireplace beside Zhao Sang. His dragon, Toothless, was curled up some place away, and to Hiccup's surprise, his dragon was not surprised through the whole ordeal, as if the dragon had already known. And seeing what Hiccup had seen, that was probably the case. 'Great,' he thought to himself sarcastically. 'So the joke is on me! I'm the odd man out... or boy... or whatever...'

He stopped in his thoughts and looked at Zhao Sang's servant, Hau Jingfei, the one who had impersonated Lady Ming Jue. She stood quietly tending the fire, back to her status, position, and work as a servant. But what had surprised Hiccup the most, and frustrated the imperial guards, was that Zhao Sang still participated and continued to work by her servant instead of being served. In fact, she didn't seem to like being served. She didn't mind serving others, but she hated being served.

As Hiccup looked at the general who he now knew was called Cai Gan Jing and saw the frustrations in the man's eyes. It was then that Hiccup realized that the princess was a hard person to "manage". Not that she needed managing, anyways. She was, after all, the princess and she was the one who managed. But the general clearly did not like her taking liberty to do certain tasks which he must have thought didn't fit a princess.

And so the princess was currently taking rest just to get him to stop insisting that she rest her "imperial feet". The princess, who had taken a while to convince, finally sat down.

Truth be told, Hiccup had received the same reproach, but as he was exhausted and didn't seem to have the limitless energy that the princess had, he had more than obliged.

The boy sighed again. "Why didn't you tell me that you were a runaway princess?" he asked the girl, and she frowned upon being asked the question. She was back in more wealthy clothing, but not quite the clothing of a lady or a princess, at least not yet. She must have left her imperial clothing back home.

Zhao Sang glanced at him. "I thought it would have been obvious," she murmured softly, and when Hiccup stared back in confusion and questioningly, she replied. "We have met before. In all truth and honesty, I thought you would remember."

Hiccup was now more confused than ever, and Toothless, whose ears had perked when he heard his friend asking a question to the immortal descendant of Nuwa raised his ears and eyed Zhao Sang in curiosity as well.

Zhao Sang sighed. "You have been told before," she admitted. "You are not a Viking."

"But I was born-" Hiccup began only to be interrupted by Zhao Sang.

"Yes, I know you were, and while that's true, you are not a Viking."

Hiccup stared defiantly at the girl. He didn't like that everyone here kept telling him that he wasn't a Viking even though he was born one. What absurdity! "Does that mean I'm not a Viking prince?" Hiccup challenged and to his surprise Zhao Sang smiled in amusement.

"What do you think?" Sang asked him, looking him dead in the eyes, clearly waiting for an answer. She was dazzling to look at, and for a moment Hiccup was enchanted by her beauty. It must be an immortal goddess/descendant of Nuwa thing.

Hiccup looked away briefly, breaking her gaze on him. After thinking on some things he admitted, "I don't know. I don't know anymore."

"And the dreams you had when you were young?"

At this Hiccup's head shot up and he looked her straight in the eyes, panicked. How could she know about that? What else did she know?

Ever since Hiccup was little, he had always felt out of place. But it was even more so when he was young. He used to have nightmares about being amongst a people he didn't know, and as he thought back on the dreams he realized where the vision from a few hours ago had come from. It had come from the nightmares he had had when he was little!

And nightmares they were indeed.

"Xiao Feng," Zhao Sang whispered softly and Hiccup's eyes widened and panicked. He had heard that name before! But where? "You are a Viking prince, no matter what. But you are not a Viking. You will always be First Prince of your people."

"Why did you call me that?" Hiccup suddenly asked, the name sounding very familiar, and he now wary of Zhao Sang.

But the girl smiled softly. "Is it not easier to say than "Hiccup"?" she asked politely, not really answering the question. Then, turning to Toothless, she asked the dragon, "And how would you like to be called Xiang Wei?"

Xiang Wei. Another familiar name for some reason. And for some reason when Hiccup thought on the name he couldn't help imagining a night fury in his mind. But why?

"I don't understand," Hiccup admitted, and the girl remained quiet. "I've heard those names before."

"Indeed you have," the girl admitted softly, looking at him.

But Hiccup turned back to her, looking for more answers, more which apparently Zhao Sang wasn't ready to provide. So he decided to try a different avenue. "Tell me more about you," he requested and the girl seemed more than happy to.

"Well," she began, thinking hard as she seemed to decide what and what not to tell him. "I am a descendant of Nuwa-"

"Yes, and a princess. I already know that!" Hiccup replied frustrated. Then he looked at her curiously. "How can you be both?" he inquired though he felt as if he had already known the answer and it was merely blocked from his mind.

Zhao Sang looked at him for a moment, clearly waiting for something, and when whatever it was didn't happen she decided to answer him. "A long time ago," she explained. "Before the realms were split, when there was just one realm, Nan Zhao existed somewhat in chaos and somewhat in "peace". At that time a descendant of Nuwa named Qing'er was married to the Emperor of Nan Zhao nation and in doing so became the first royal of Nan Zhao nation that was a descendant of Nuwa. She was the first royal descendant of Nuwa, however she was royal by marriage."

The girl went on, and suddenly the scene opened up to Hiccup's imagination and eyes, Toothless closing his eyes and falling suit, letting the story entertain him somewhat. "At that time, there were only two descendants of Nuwa roaming around, she and her daughter Ling'er. The descendants of Nuwa hadn't multiplied that much and it used to be passed down from mother to daughter, on rare occasions from father to daughter as it was usual in those times for the descendants of Nuwa to have only one offspring, rarely two, never three. And, unlike goddess Nuwa, they were mortal, for some reason, despite being the literal children of Fu Xi and Nuwa. But the were still goddesses, and gods on rare occasions.

"You see," she went on. "The Nuwa clan is primarily a female clan when it comes to actual descendants of the god and goddess themselves. Males are rarely born to the Nuwa line, and when they are, their powers are weaker than the females, however they are still more powerful than most anything out there. That is because the powers are female in nature, even Fu Xi's powers are female in nature, therefore females can handle it more and naturally inherit more of the power.

"Empress Wu, or Empress Qing'er was empress during the dark times, a time period of false "peace". A cult known as the Lunar Sect had brainwashed the people and was attempting to take over the empire, and then the whole world. But in order to do what they wanted, the needed a descendant of Nuwa for her powers.

"In desperation the empress sent her only daughter away, Ling'er. A mysterious man known as Li Xiao Yao came with an old friend and took her to Divine Spirit Island along with her nurse who she only knew as her grandmother. Her nurse was her protector.

"And so Ling'er grew up unaware that she was a descendant of Nuwa, unaware that she was a mortal goddess, and unaware that she was a princess. It wasn't until ten years later, when Li Xiao Yao came to Divine Spirit Island looking for medicine to heal his Aunt that he came across Ling'er.

"Li Xiao Yao had been tricked by the Lunar Sect cult into entering Divine Spirit Island. They gave him a pill they said was for his good, and items to disarm the enchantments there, to make it less dangerous they said. But the pill was so that he wouldn't remember what took place there, and so that they could invade Divine Spirit Island.

"Li Xiao Yao took the pill and entered Divine Spirit Island where he met a Ling'er. In her eyes he hadn't aged a day, but she still remembered him. In Li Xiao Yao's eyes, they had never met.

"And it was there that he married the princess, not aware of who she was, and not aware that he was becoming a prince that day by marrying her.

"The Lunar Sect attacked, and Ling'er sent Xiao Yao away. When he encountered her back at his Aunt's inn, his aunt now healed from the pill, he didn't recognize her let alone that he had married her due to the curse of the pill that the Lunar sect had given him. When he rescued her from the Lunar cult they returned to Divine Spirit Island and found it devastated.

"Grandmother ordered her to be brought back to Emperor Wu, but did not tell them that she was the princess. She was injured, and there she died. Meanwhile, back home, the Emperor was ready for his daughter to be returned to him, suffering loneliness that long time, Qing'er having died the same day that she sent her daughter away.

"You see, that day, long ago, the Lunar Sect had attacked and the leader had unleashed a fearsome water monster. In order to save her people, the glorious queen sacrificed herself and sealed the creature in the water, temporarily defeating the leader's plans.

"Now, ten years later, the emperor was eager to have his daughter returned to him, and for her to reclaim her rightful position. So he secretly sent men to find her.

"They met along the way, and throughout the way back made many friends, had many adventures, and the princess discovered who she was. It was also during that time that Li Xiao Yao went back in time to rescue five year old Ling'er, thus the reason why when they met ten years later Ling'er recognized him, but Xiao Yao did not. Then he returned to his own time.

"When she got back she exposed the Lunar Sect for what it was, but the people were still brainwashed. And so Xiao Yao was eager to go to battle to get rid of the Lunar Cult once and for all, therefore disarming their threats. Shortly after, the couple had their first baby, a new princess.

"The leader unleashed the water beast again, and in an effort to save the people she had never known she battled the beast to the death and destroyed it, killing her in the process.

"Descendants of Nuwa were still mortal at that time, and the new prince, Xiao Yao was devastated. His wife was gone. So he took his baby back home, but later, when the emperor was old, the girl now ten years old, he insisted that she be brought back so that she could rule the country. She was, by lineage, the rightful heir. The rules had been changed to where the first, whether male or female, was the rightful heir to the throne. That, and there are very few males born in the Nuwa line, even then.

"The prince took her back. By then, everyone knew who he was, that he was now a prince of Nan Zhao despite how he lived, and that his daughter was princess and heir.

"You see, the emperor had given them leave for him to raise the baby quietly, especially with what happened. He understood because he had lost his beloved wife. So Xiao Yao raised her ten years and brought her back. When she was thirteen her grandfather the emperor died and she was crowned Empress.

"Xiao Yao, from that point forward, worked to become immortal, knowing that his wife would be reincarnated. For mortal gods and goddesses it is different. Unless our memory is sealed we always retain all memories from our previous lives. That and our personalities are the same. And once a god or goddess, always that god or goddess. It wouldn't matter if we were born to a mere mortal or human, we would be born descendants of Nuwa, even if there was no Nuwa and Fu Xi lineage in our mortal or human parents.

"And so Xiao Yao worked to become immortal. And so he did, achieving it fairly quickly.

"Meanwhile, his mortal daughter got married, and they had a couple of kids, one of whom died, sacrificing her life to save others. Then Li Yiru, the daughter of Li Xiao Yao and Zhao Ling'er, became immortal, and had many more kids after that, more than she had originally had. Her husband had become immortal too, so all the kids they had after that were immortal, unable to die.

"From then on the rules of inheritance changed and each of the children received a kingdom, the inhabitants multiplying too much for it to remain one kingdom. We have to split or we become too numerous for the country to rule, and too numerous for the land to take care of. And so, from then on, there began to be more than one Nan Zhao, all ruled by descendants of Nuwa. And the descendants of Nuwa began to multiply, almost becoming an empire themselves. Some were mortal, but most were immortal. It was not long after that that the realms split.

"And that is how the descendants of Nuwa came to rule the nations of Nan Zhao," Zhao Sang ended, smiling at the end of her story.

Hiccup had to admit it was a pretty good story. But he still had some questions. "Did Ling'er ever come back?"

Zhao Sang smiled. "Yes. All the important ones from before the realms were split came back and remembered who they were. They kept their powers too."

"And that means that you will be future empress too," Hiccup observed, wanting to see the young girl's reaction. And he wasn't too surprised by what she saw. Her demeanor immediately changed and she looked away rather mournfully. He smiled a little in triumph. He had just figured something out! "You don't want to be empress, do you?" he asked, playfully, enjoying his brief moment of having the upper hand.

"Much like you don't want to be," Zhao Sang snapped, catching Hiccup off guard, the boy surprised. He'd forgotten for a moment how much she knew about him. Then her expression softened and she turned back to Hiccup, admitting and acknowledging what he had said. "Yes," she admitted. "When it comes time, the nations will be split and me and my only sister will become Empresses of the new nations that are created."

"Sounds like fun," Hiccup sarcastically responded, but understanding completely where she was coming from. Now it made his task of becoming chief sound much easier. After all he didn't have _**near**_ as many people to take care of. But he still didn't like the idea of it.

Zhao Sang flipped her hair back and sighed. "That's enough for now," she murmured softly, staring off into the distance, her grey eyes filled with wisdom that Hiccup could only guess.

Hiccup nodded and got up, leaving her alone, curling up beside Toothless who lay back down, the dragon cooing softly.

And he fell asleep.

(A few minutes later)

(Zhao Sang Point of View)

Zhao Sang lay awake, tending the fire, letting her maid sleep. As she looked at Hiccup she saw that the boy was softly asleep, and was certainly not faking it. Upon seeing this she motioned for her mother's general to approach and when he began to bow she shook her head, instead motioning for him to sit by her.

He did so. He remained silent until she chose to speak. "I know you're curious about him," she smiled as if she knew something he didn't. Her eyes were staring at Hiccup the whole time.

The general glanced at her with wide eyes. "Are you saying that he is who I think he is?" the man inquired with curiosity and sudden awareness.

Zhao Sang merely nodded.

General Cai sighed. That explained a lot then. That certainly explained a lot. "Except your not going to tell him," he murmured.

(Hiccup Dream Point of View)

Hiccup was dressed differently, his hair longer. The dream was shady, a nightmare that he hadn't had in a long time. In a way he was glad to have it back, which was really odd.

But this time things were different. It seemed more real (not that that was ever the case since it always had seemed real to Hiccup), and it seemed more in perspective since coming to the immortal realms.

For one Hiccup was dressed like the people here in the immortal realms. That, and he was dressed like a prince. As he walked around the island of Berk, which even geographically looked different, he spotted a palace, his parent's palace, in the distance. Marching forward, two swords strapped on his back, and two strapped at his waist, his armor thick and hard to penetrate, black with gold ornaments on them, painted with symbols of authority on them, the boy walked on. But as he stopped by the lake and looked in, Hiccup almost wanted to gasp. What he saw in the lake was not exactly him. It was a man slightly older than him who looked much like him, but not quite, with hair longer. But he still looked like him. He merely looked like an older version of him.

But his expression kept neutral, as if this was completely normal.

Suddenly the vision stopped and Hiccup found himself in the palace. The dream was now fuzzy and vague, details not apparent, he only seeing what was in front of him and unable to make out clearly what was in his peripheral vision or what was far ahead. A man was running up to him and he turned and stopped upon seeing him.

"Second Prince!" the man greeted, bowing to him. Much as Hiccup tried to make out what the man looked like, he had a hard time seeing him clearly. But he knew it was a man. "The great beast has returned!"

Hiccup looked out the window and was surprised at what he saw. The red death! "Gather the troops!" Hiccup heard himself order, authority every bit in his voice.

Once again, the scene shifted and Hiccup found himself wailing, a young woman who looked similar to him in his arms, blood all around her as she bled to death. Hiccup couldn't see her face but he felt pain at seeing her like this.

The scene shifted again and he felt himself tear stained, facing the ocean as a monster emerged out of it. His vision was blurry, getting even more blurry with each passing second and once again the scene shifted.

He was now bleeding out, on his back, a young woman and two young men standing over him, laughing. Hiccup knew he was dead.

"You can run, but you can't hide forever!" a female voice whispered into his ear and he blacked out.

(Hiccup Point of View)

Hiccup shot up straight, gasping, his dragon standing over him, licking his face to give him comfort. He must have been screaming in his sleep, else why would he wake up to Toothless cooing and licking him frantically? Why else would he feel like he was being watched with concern when he woke up?

Panting, he saw everyone staring at him. Quickly, pushing Toothless gently aside, the boy got up and bolted, not sure why. He didn't think about where he was going and before he knew it a tree was in front of him. He didn't have time to stop and so he ended up running into it.

"Hiccup!" he heard voices shouting after him, and he heard a tiny whine beside him. Turning around, he saw the concerned face of Toothless, and others racing after him in the distance. He sighed. They had followed him.

Putting his head in between his knees, then sitting down, Toothless giving him a quick lick, he called out to the others, "I'm fine! I'm fine!" Upon hearing him, they stopped and Zhao Sang gestured them away, knowing that he needed some time alone.

"Come back when you're ready!" she called after him.

Toothless was still concerned, however, and after warbling softly to his rider he circled Hiccup and curled up beside him. Hiccup gladly took in the comfort, wanting to be alone with his dragon for now. The boy leaned back and Toothless took his dark, black wing and concealed the boy, darkness now enveloping the boy. Hiccup was grateful as it brought comfort.

Suddenly, a sob crept into the boy's throat and he pulled his knees towards him, placing his head in his hands, crying softly. Toothless warbled softly and Hiccup continued to cry, tears coming out of his eyes.

"What's wrong with me?" he whispered softly. Vikings didn't cry! Didn't they? He didn't care what the others said, he was still a Viking through and through! "It's been years since I've had those dreams! Years! What's wrong with me? Why is it coming back now?" And he honestly didn't have any answers to that.

It had been years since the nightmares had struck him. But Hiccup remembered, especially how terrifying they were. And what he had just dreamed was not even the tip of the iceberg of the horrors he had seen in his nightmares. All he wanted was for them to go away.

When Hiccup was young, ever since he was born, he had been plagued with nightmares. As a baby he would scream all night and it took forever for Valhallarama and Stoick to calm him down enough for him to get some sleep. But then the nightmares would just start up again.

Hiccup remembered things from when he was an infant and he remembered how his mother used to hold him in her arms and hush him. "Shh, Hiccup," she used to say. "It's all right. It's all right." Then she would pat him on his back until his soft cries would die down. "The nightmares will stop. They're just dreams. They will go away soon." Then she would place him back down in his crib.

Hiccup remembered that every time she put him down he was terrified and would want her to come back. But even she needed sleep. He would cry, and then calm down, and eventually he would fall asleep only for the nightmares to return.

This was the routine for the first couple of months, Valhallarama and Stoick taking turns putting him to bed and taking turns soothing him. Stoick, being the man that he was, was never quite sure of how to deal with it. While he cared greatly for his baby, and Hiccup knew that, he was awkward and uncomfortable, not quite sure what to do with him.

"Hiccup!" he had finally snapped in frustration. "Daddy has to get some sleep! He has a full day of chiefing ahead of him! Please, please, stop crying and quiet down!"

Hiccup cried, a bit hurt that his father had snapped at him. Finally, the man had had enough. "Stop crying!" the man yelled at the baby only to hear angry footsteps coming down the stairs.

"STOICK!" Valhallarama shouted at her husband. As Stoick had turned and a crying Hiccup saw his mother come into view he saw the woman, an angry expression on her face, hands on her hips, the woman glaring daggers at her husband. As Hiccup remembered he couldn't help but feel sorry for his father now. A mad mother was not something you wanted on your hands, particularly a mad Valhallarama in the attitude of protecting her baby, and knowing his father he was fairly sure that there were those moments when she had sharply reprimanded Stoick for how he treated his son. Well, that was when she was still around. Knowing Stoick and his rather brash attitude towards things and situations, Hiccup was sure he got on his wife's bad side every now and then.

And Valhallarama was mad, face red. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING YELLING AT _**MY**_ BABY?" she screamed at him and reached for baby Hiccup, snatching the poor thing out of Stoick's hands and into her arms, still glaring at her husband, in the mood of protecting her baby.

Stoick stood at her stunned. He was frozen, unsure of what to make of the situation. Here she was with circles under _**her**_ eyes and yet _**he's**_ the one she yells at even though Stoick was trying to get the baby to stop crying and go to sleep? Stoick honestly didn't get it. He was just trying to help her out! Why couldn't she see it?

"I-I was p-putting the b-baby to b-bed!" Stoick nervously stuttered, trying to get the words out but struggling. A mad Valhallarama didn't happen very often but when it did it was terrifying and you'd better watch out. She had a way of frightening others if she wanted to, and she didn't even realize it! You never wanted a mad Valhallarama on your hands.

"Oh?" Valhallarama narrowed her eyes at him, her tone soft but still threatening. "And he's supposed to go to sleep when you're _**yelling**_ at him?"

"I-I...I,"

"ENOUGH I'S!" she yelled back, shoving her finger into his chest with each word she spoke afterwords. "_**THIS**_. _**IS**_. _**NO**_. _**WAY**_. _**TO**_. _**TREAT**_. _**OUR**_. _**INFANT**_. _**SON**_.!" And with that she walked past him, shoving her way past him rather forcefully to Hiccup's bedroom which then was on the lower level, causing Stoick, despite his size, to stumble back a number of steps before he was able to regain his footing. Yep. She was definitely mad. "_**I'LL **_be taking care of him tonight!" she yelled back, her voice heard loud and clear from the other room.

Stoick stood frozen for a second. He loved his wife dearly, but he didn't get her sometimes. Then, slowly, he regained his movement and he stumbled back to bed. "What did I do?" he whispered to himself. "She went too far! I didn't do anything! I honestly don't get her sometimes!"

By now he had reached the door and as he finished saying that, his hand on the door handle, he heard his wife call back, "I HEARD THAT!"

Stoick rolled his eyes and went to bed.

After this the routine changed. Valhallarma was the one who had insisted on it, as if this was the better solution. Stoick was more than happy to comply. It had, after all, taken his wife a couple of weeks to forgive him for the incident. And two rather unpleasant weeks it was. Personally, Stoick never wanted to see his wife like that again.

This time, instead putting him to bed and leaving him, only to wake up when the nightmares started then go soothe and comfort him, this time they stayed with him to make sure he fell asleep. And for a couple of months, to their brief relief, it seemed to work. The nightmares were not as frequent and they finally started getting some rest at night.

But then they started up again and intensified. The number of nightmares the poor thing had at night increased. It also didn't help that the dragon raiding season had started as well. On the nights that they weren't kept up with the dragon raids they were kept up with Hiccup's incessant crying. But Hiccup couldn't help it. He was just a little kid! And he didn't know how to communicate what he needed. And often he would cry right through the raids due to his nightmares, and his parents weren't there to help him through it, they out helping, or trying to stop their house with Hiccup inside from burning down.

Things got a little better for Hiccup's parents in the off season when the dragons weren't raiding. For some reason they seemed to raid in cycles.

They continued this pattern for a couple of years, things getting worse. By that time Hiccup was growing up though, and he was showing to be different. He wasn't physically strong like the others, and he was different in many aspects. For one, he started talking at a younger age than most kids. He was brighter, already knowledgeable about many things, including forging, and was rather smart. He could actually carry on an intelligent conversation, not that his parents, particularly Stoick, noticed or understood.

As soon as he was able to talk, though, they immediately started asking him about his dreams.

"There terrifying!" cried Hiccup, already able to speak well without the twang that most young kids have, sounding more like a teen in a two-year-old's body than the age he actually was. "I'm attacked and people want to kill me!" he squeaked more, eyes wide as he remembered them. "I-I don't remember everything, I know," he admitted. "But what I do remember frightens me! It terrifies me!"

"How much do you remember?" his mother asked him out of curiosity.

Hiccup hesitated before replying, "A big giant dragon and a giant monster rising out of the water." Hiccup refused to say more after this, but after careful coaxing he wasn't able to say more.

As time went by he remembered a bit more, but not much. He would sometimes describe people, talk about the strange clothing they wore, their titles sometimes, and about the society he saw. So all the dreams weren't bad, but he seemed to remember, for the most part, the worst about the society and what had happened to them. To Stoick and Valhallarma, however, it was just one big story from one big nightmare that kept recurring. But Stoick had to admit that somehow he had incorporated the dragons that raided Berk into his dreams. "It's probably from the dragon raids," Stoick muttered one day, thinking his son afraid of dragons. And Hiccup would indeed tremble whenever he saw dragons, but he would always say that it was not because of what his mom and dad thought, not that they would listen.

And sometimes he would say strange things that Stoick and Valhallarama didn't understand. On occasion he would mention the names of two girls, the only names he ever remembered from his dream, and their descriptions were the only ones he would remember.

While Hiccup didn't remember much and thus Stoick and Valhallarama weren't able to get much details about what he dreamed about, other than the occasional description of people and what was in his dreams, they were able to observe that for the most part it was the same dreams striking him again and again in his sleep, one continuous round.

It was during this time that a mysterious young woman came to visit the couple. At that time Stoick and Valhallarama were being paid a visit by Stoick's half brother Spitelout and his wife, as well as their son Snotlout. When Snotlout was young he and Hiccup were rather close, but as years went by they would grow apart, only to grow closer in the end, but not as close as they used to be, as they would rival each other a little bit.

The kids had already been put to bed, and poor Snotlout was having troubles sleeping because of Hiccup's nightmares. Poor Hiccup would scream and then wake up screaming. Each time Hiccup woke up from his nightmares Stoick and Valhallarma would rush in to comfort him.

Spitelout and his wife Adria would watch in concern, their nephews plights well known to them even though Stoick and Valhallarama had kept it from the rest of the village, minus Gobber who was a family friend and had every right to know, for various reasons. One of them was because he was the heir of the village and they didn't want everyone else to know that their heir was having mysterious nightmares at night. He would, after all, be chief some day and they didn't want them to think that he was weak.

"How is he?" Adria asked as the couple came out of the bedroom, exhausted looks on their faces.

Valhallarma sighed. "Not good," she finally admitted, wanting to get it all off of her chest. "That's the third time this week that it's been this bad!"

Spitelout and Adria raised their eyebrows at this. This was bad? It all sounded bad to them. In fact in their eyes they didn't know how to grade the amounts of 'badness' that happened each night, so how could Stoick and Valhallarama?

"You need rest, brother," Spitelout murmured softly, worry and concern in his eyes, and not just for his nephew. It was for his brother and sister to.

"I can't," murmured Stoick. "He needs us. It'll be all right, though. Besides, we take turns."

"At least let us take him for a little bit!" Adria pled, wanting to see them get the rest that they needed.

But to their frustration the couple shook their heads. They couldn't force this problem on them. After all, they were Hiccup's parents and they should take responsibility. "We can't do that to you... We couldn't do that to you..."

"But that's what family is for!" Spitelout protested. He knew his sibling was suffering and he didn't want to see him go through this alone.

Stoick sighed, finally giving in and speaking his heart. "All right," he breathed, grateful for Spitelout and Adria's support. "My goodness! I don't know what to do! We've tried everything! We've calmed him down as much as we can in the night, and then he goes to sleep only to have another nightmare! And then he's started spouting off nonsense!" No doubt they were referring to the things Hiccup would say on occasion about what he saw in his dreams, which wasn't a lot but it was enough to start worrying Stoick. He must have wondered whether his son was crazy or not.

Valhallarama looked away at this. "We don't know what to do," she admitted, almost accepting defeat. "We've tried everything!"

"The nightmares," Stoick ranted on, glad his brother and sister were letting him and his wife go on expressing their thoughts like this without stopping them to talk and ask questions. He knew that Spitelout knew that he needed to get it off of his chest. "He keeps having the same ones over and over again! That and we thought for a couple of years now that he would grow out of them, but he hasn't! That, and he's so different from every child, I don't know how to deal with him! Valhallarama knows better than me! I don't know how to take care of my own child!"

Spitelout eyed him sympathetically. "He certainly is different," he agreed. And indeed the child was unlike any other Viking he had come across. He knew that Stoick had great hopes for his child, and he couldn't help but wonder if that was part of the reason that Stoick was frustrated. He wondered if Stoick wanted his child to be like everyone else's child, and since Hiccup wasn't that Stoick was having a hard time coping with it. Stoick must have been thinking of Hiccup's future as chief. And Spitelout couldn't help but think that Hiccup would make a very interesting chief.

"What do I do with him?" Stoick mourned aloud, hanging his head.

Spitelout put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "There has to be something that you can do, brother. There has to be a way to help Hiccup get some sleep at night."

As Adria looked on her eyes suddenly brightened up as one does when they get an idea in their head. "Maybe Gothi can help!" she suddenly piped up only for Stoick and Valhallarama to immediately look up.

"Gothi!" Stoick breathed. "Why hadn't I thought about that?"

"Well," Adria hesitated. "I remember that a number of years ago she helped in a similar situation, granted it wasn't as bad as this one. But she took their bad dreams away and that seemed to make things better. Poor kid hasn't had any nightmares to this day, and he's an adult now."

Stoick and Valhallarama immediately looked at each other as if it was a possible solution. "What do you think?" Stoick looked his wife in the eyes.

The woman tilted her head. "Let's try it!" she encouraged and the two smiled, then laughed in relief. In a little while they would finally get some rest! They knew that Gothi was more than trust worthy, especially since she was mute and couldn't speak. But even if she could, she always kept secrets. That was why people always had respect for her and why she was an elder.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. As Stoick went to open it he was astounded at what he saw. There, in front of him was a woman in a cloak, face hidden, non-the-less he knew it was a woman, especially since the cloak seemed feminine. He knew for certain when she started to talk to him.

"You are Stoick," she stated, not asking a question. "May I come in?"

Stoick, dumbfounded nodded stepping aside and letting her in. He couldn't help but look at her cloak and how expensive it looked. For one, it looked like there were rubies sewn into it. Who put rubies in a cloak? It also looked fairly foreign.

When the woman stepped inside she took the cloak off, casting in on nearby pole with precision, it hanging perfectly there. Stoick gasped at what he saw. Her clothing was ornamented with gold and silver woven in, along with what was certainly diamonds and rubies sewn in. Her hair was up in an ornate silver stick-like thing that he didn't know was called a hair pin, and other than her clothing being very expensive she was also dressed incredibly differently. He had never seen anything like this before. He had never seen such odd wear. There was silver in her hair, a gold and silver necklace, gold and silver forehead jewelry hanging perfectly and elegantly, a gold bracelet on each hand, and long, earrings made of gold in her ears, sporting carefully cut emeralds. There was also jewelry hanging out of her hair. Even without everything, though, she seemed to shine.

The woman turned to look at Stoick with her narrow grey eyes, her very frame and complexion beautiful. She smiled softly, her voice accented. If Stoick had remembered how it sounded he would have been able to identify the intruders that kidnapped his son years later. But he hadn't remembered that much detail so much as to be able to recall how her voice sounded. But he certainly recalled a lot of this moment and the ridiculous and absurd things she had said.

The young woman looked about fifteen or sixteen. She tilted her head at him and his wife who had come to stand by him. "The boy," she began. "Hiccup you call him?"

Valhallarama nodded at her. "Who are you?" she asked the girl.

"Who I am does not matter," she replied. At this point Spitelout and his wife hadn't wanted to be left out, this a family discussion, so they went to stand by Valhallarma and Stoick. The girl acknowledged their presence slightly with a feminine nod of her head. "But what does matter is what I say, and I ask that you consider it, for Hiccup's future." She seemed to have trouble forming Hiccup on her tongue, but not because she was incapable of saying that name. It was almost like she didn't like the name and didn't want to call him it.

"And you know something to help him with the nightmares?" Stoick inquired, desperate.

But the woman shook her head. "Do not go to Gothi," she informed him. "In fact, do nothing. Let him have the dreams. He will need them."

At this, Stoick seemed outraged. "What!" the man yelled. "You want him to continue having the dreams? He can barely sleep at night!" But this was a mistake as it seemed like the kids had stirred in the other room as scuffling was heard.

The young woman sighed. "It is for the best," she acknowledged regretfully, and turned around when the kids came out of the room.

Hiccup stared at her wide eyed and the young woman's eyes were expressionless.

Stoick stood in front of her and the woman turned back to him. "Leave," he growled at her. "You have overstayed your welcome."

"Stoick!" Valhallarama murmured, not liking how her husband was treating their guest, let alone how overprotective he got, especially with Hiccup. How would Hiccup ever learn if he was that way?

But to everyone's surprise the woman gave a slight curtsy to him. "I never meant any disrespect," she charmingly replied with a small smile. "I only meant what's best for the boy."

Then, turning around to leave, she glanced briefly at Hiccup before walking to the door. And Hiccup suddenly tore after her only to be stopped by Stoick.

"Let her stay!" little Hiccup yelled only to be turned around and gently pushed by Stoick who had nudged him to go to bed.

"No," Stoick gently replied, being careful with his son. "She can't stay."

But instead Hiccup pointed to the young woman who had her back turned to him, saying some brief words to Valhallarama, Spitelout, and Adria before she left. "I know you!" he bellowed out, the young girl's back to him still. "You're name is Zhao Sang!"

Stoick and Valhallarama froze at this. This girl was one of the ones that Hiccup would talk about ocassionally and remembered from his dreams with clarity. She was one of the two girls whose names he could mention and whose description he could give, and as they looked closer at her they couldn't help but notice the similarities suddenly of how she looked and how Hiccup had described her. Even Spitelout and Adria, whom Hiccup had mentioned her and her description to briefly, startled at this.

The young girl suddenly turned back to him, a small smile on her face. "Good night, Hiccup," she murmured. "And good-bye." And then she left.

Hiccup stared after the woman, frustrated with his parents for making her leave. It was a long while before he would cooperate and go to bed. And as years went by he would forget about it and the incident completely.

Stoick and Valhallarama had not heeded Zhao Sang's request. They took Hiccup to Gothi the next day and Hiccup, who had guessed what was going on, screamed the whole way, screaming to the whole village that he didn't want his bad dreams taken away. His parents were embarrassed, but they felt that it had to be done.

Gothi, upon evaluating him was confused. Gobber, nearby, was almost nervous. "She says that she's never seen anything like this," Gobber admitted. "She'll try to do it, but it may never hold, even if it holds for a little while."

Valhallarama gasped at this. "But... what about the other kid this was done to?" she ventured carefully, her son unconscious as she stroked his tiny head. They had knocked him out with an herbal remedy put in a cloth which they put to his mouth and nose because he had put up such a fight with them, screaming that he didn't want it done.

Gothi shook her head and then wrote again, Gobber once again worried and confused when he read what she had written. "She... she says that this is a completely different situation. In fact she doesn't even know what's causing it. She's _**never **_encountered anything like this before."

Valhallarama and Stoick looked at each other, concerned, wondering if this was still the best option. As they looked at each other, a conversation almost going on, Gothi wrote again only for Gobber to interpret. "She says this is still the best thing to do."

"And she's sure?" Valhallarama asked, still looking at Stoick.

Gobber hesitated. "Well she said she wasn't sure, but given how unique the situation is and her best judgment, this is the best she can come up with solution wise."

Valhallarama closed her eyes and turned back to Gothi. "Do it."

Gothi approached Hiccup and held his head, concentrating hard. Her breathing became harder and for a few minutes she stood completely still. When she was done she collapsed, drained. After helping her up and getting her some water she sent them away so that she could rest and the couple took Hiccup home.

The first time it had happened it had lasted six months. Then the dreams began to surface again causing them to seek Gothi once more. Each time they took Hiccup back to her to have his bad dreams taken away, Hiccup struggled and screamed.

When Hiccup was five his mother died and from then on Stoick took his son to Gothi each time it wore off, Hiccup still struggling the whole way. By this time, Stoick, having dealt with the grief of his wife's death, had been fed up with Hiccup. He forced him to go each time, being less sympathetic. In fact, it got to the point where he'd have his son drugged by Gobber each time before they took him over (he didn't have the heart to do it himself). But he didn't have the patience to deal with his son's struggles. And each time he woke up from having it taken away he would always throw a tantrum and scream. It took forever to calm him down. This is partly what got the other kids teasing him.

By the time Hiccup was eight they took him back for the last time and Gothi gave all her effort to end the bad dreams once and for all. She was left exhausted after it, and from then on Hiccup didn't seem to have the bad dreams anymore. As the years went by without the nightmares he forgot what he'd dreamed about, but he still remembered that he had had the dreams. But by that time he had let them go, though a part of him still wanted to remember them for some reason despite how terrifying they were.

And as time went by after that last visit with Gothi, Stoick couldn't help but remember if he had done the right thing, despite Gothi's reassurance that he had done the right thing. He couldn't help but remember the young woman's warning even though he no longer remembered her name. But he, Spitelout, and Adria had remembered her. Her image was burned perfectly into their minds, and the realization that this was one of the girls from Hiccup's dreams. And if Hiccup had remembered this he would have noted that Zhao Sang hadn't aged one bit since then. But he would have understood now that it was because she was immortal, forever young and beautiful.

Eight years later, Hiccup now sixteen and in the immortal realms, he thought back on these things as he slowly began to remember. "I know her?" he thought to himself. "She'd visited me in the mortal realms before? But why? Why would she do that?"

At this Toothless cooed, lifting his wing and revealing his curled rider nestled by his side, wondering what his rider was talking about.

Hiccup shook his head, wanting to get rest. When he was snoring, Toothless stared off into the distance, confused at everything.

(A few minutes later)

(Zhao Sang Point of View)

Zhao Sang observed from the distance carefully. Though the years had gone by her memory was not dimmed at all, she being immortal. She always remembered things with perfect clearly.

General Cai walked up to her, whispering softly, making sure the night fury was asleep so that he couldn't overhear what he was to say. "When are you going to tell him, your imperial highness?" he asked her quietly and gently.

But Zhao Sang shook her head. "Now is not the best time," she responded. "Besides," she added. "He chose to forget." General Cai knew what she was talking about and that she was not referring to what Gothi did to Hiccup. "Those events were painful for him."

"But he must know!"

"And when the time is right he will know."

General Cai sighed and Zhao Sang faced him as the general protested in frustration, "But he has the right to know who he is! Hiccup has the right to know that he is the reincarnation of Xiao Feng, the last prince of the fallen Amram empire! He has a destiny ahead of him!"

Zhao Sang turned away, watching Hiccup once more. "Now is not the time. Let him be. When the time comes he will know, he will remember, and then we will see whether or not he accepts his fate and destiny to restart Amram Empire and lead his people to victory."

General Cai turned away and Zhao Sang observed Hiccup's peaceful breathing, smiling slightly. "Sleep well, Xiao Feng. You are the only hope of many."

**Please, please, please, I beg of you. Read and review!**

**Please review if you are reading this!**

**Also note: MY PROFILE AVATAR PICTURE IS THAT OF QING'ER, IN CASE ANYONE IS CURIOUS.**

**The previouos Avatar was of Qing'er also.**

**Firestar'sniece**


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